diff --git a/qutebrowser/test/utils/test_url.py b/qutebrowser/test/utils/test_url.py
index e1f16183e..fb8995146 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/test/utils/test_url.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/test/utils/test_url.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 import unittest
 from unittest import TestCase
 
+from PyQt5.QtCore import QUrl
+
 import qutebrowser.utils.url as urlutils
 
 
@@ -85,12 +87,14 @@ class SpecialURLTests(TestCase):
     def test_special_urls(self):
         """Test special URLs."""
         for url in self.SPECIAL_URLS:
-            self.assertTrue(urlutils.is_special_url(url))
+            u = QUrl(url)
+            self.assertTrue(urlutils.is_special_url(u))
 
     def test_normal_urls(self):
         """Test non-special URLs."""
         for url in self.NORMAL_URLS:
-            self.assertFalse(urlutils.is_special_url(url))
+            u = QUrl(url)
+            self.assertFalse(urlutils.is_special_url(u))
 
 
 class SearchUrlTests(TestCase):
diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/url.py b/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
index 880db5c85..7a95cf2bc 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/url.py
@@ -131,9 +131,13 @@ def fuzzy_url(urlstr):
 
 
 def is_special_url(url):
-    """Return True if url is an about:... or other special URL."""
+    """Return True if url is an about:... or other special URL.
+
+    Args:
+        url: The URL as QUrl.
+    """
     special_schemes = ('about', 'qute', 'file')
-    return QUrl(url).scheme() in special_schemes
+    return url.scheme() in special_schemes
 
 
 def is_url(urlstr):