diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/url.py b/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
index 2ac3e7b94..3af72e468 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def urlstring(url):
     qurl -- URL as string or QUrl.
 
     """
-    return url.url() if isinstance(url, QUrl) else url
+    return url.toString() if isinstance(url, QUrl) else url
 
 
 def fuzzy_url(url):
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ def fuzzy_url(url):
             newurl = _get_search_url(urlstr)
         except ValueError:  # invalid search engine
             newurl = QUrl.fromUserInput(urlstr)
-    logging.debug('Converting fuzzy term {} to url -> {}'.format(urlstr,
-                                                                 newurl.url()))
+    logging.debug('Converting fuzzy term {} to url -> {}'.format(
+        urlstr, urlstring(newurl)))
     return newurl
 
 
@@ -75,14 +75,15 @@ def is_about_url(url):
 
 def is_url(url):
     """Return True if url (QUrl) seems to be a valid URL."""
-    logging.debug('Checking if "{}" is an URL'.format(url.url()))
-    if ' ' in urlstring(url):
+    urlstr = urlstring(url)
+    logging.debug('Checking if "{}" is an URL'.format(urlstr))
+    if ' ' in urlstr:
         # An URL will never contain a space
         logging.debug('Contains space -> no url')
         return False
     elif config.config.getboolean('general', 'addressbar_dns_lookup'):
         logging.debug('Checking via DNS')
-        return _is_url_dns(QUrl.fromUserInput(urlstring(url)))
+        return _is_url_dns(QUrl.fromUserInput(urlstr))
     else:
         logging.debug('Checking via naive check')
         return _is_url_naive(url)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
index b849ced16..67003321d 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
         url = urlutils.qurl(url)
         tab = BrowserTab(self)
         tab.openurl(url)
-        self.addTab(tab, url.url())
+        self.addTab(tab, urlutils.urlstring(url))
         self.setCurrentWidget(tab)
         tab.loadProgress.connect(self._filter_factory(self.cur_progress))
         tab.loadFinished.connect(self._filter_factory(self.cur_load_finished))
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
 
     def tabopencur(self):
         """Set the statusbar to :tabopen and the current URL."""
-        url = self.currentWidget().url().toString()
+        url = urlutils.urlstring(self.currentWidget().url())
         self.set_cmd_text.emit(':tabopen ' + url)
 
     def openurl(self, url, count=None):
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
 
     def opencur(self):
         """Set the statusbar to :open and the current URL."""
-        url = self.currentWidget().url().toString()
+        url = urlutils.urlstring(self.currentWidget().url())
         self.set_cmd_text.emit(':open ' + url)
 
     def undo_close(self):
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
 
         """
         clip = QApplication.clipboard()
-        url = self.currentWidget().url().toString()
+        url = urlutils.urlstring(self.currentWidget().url())
         mode = QClipboard.Selection if sel else QClipboard.Clipboard
         clip.setText(url, mode)
         # FIXME provide visual feedback
@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@ class BrowserTab(QWebView):
 
         """
         u = urlutils.fuzzy_url(url)
-        logging.debug('New title: {}'.format(u.url()))
-        self.titleChanged.emit(u.url())
+        logging.debug('New title: {}'.format(urlutils.urlstring(u)))
+        self.titleChanged.emit(urlutils.urlstring(u))
         if urlutils.is_about_url(u):
             try:
-                content = about.handle(u.toString())
+                content = about.handle(urlutils.urlstring(u))
             except AttributeError:
                 return self.load(u)
             else: