diff --git a/cclutils/_annotations.py b/cclutils/_annotations.py
index 8a1951d711da1a79bca9f45df5bdbcd2d60f5e82..108623c3087db4c8bb131e6742b2750e133233fb 100644
--- a/cclutils/_annotations.py
+++ b/cclutils/_annotations.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def set_attribute(token, key, value):
     if not token.has_metadata():
         token.create_metadata()
     metadata = token.get_metadata()
-    metadata.set_attribute(_try_encode(key), _try_encode(value))
+    metadata.set_attribute(key, value)
 
 
 def set_attributes(token, items):