diff --git a/lib/transports/websocket/default.js b/lib/transports/websocket/default.js
index 092729d923..a05c9203da 100644
--- a/lib/transports/websocket/default.js
+++ b/lib/transports/websocket/default.js
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ WebSocket.prototype.write = function (data) {
     var length = Buffer.byteLength(data)
       , buffer = new Buffer(2 + length);
 
-    buffer.write('\u0000', 'binary');
+    buffer.write('\x00', 'binary');
     buffer.write(data, 1, 'utf8');
-    buffer.write('\uffff', 1 + length, 'binary');
+    buffer.write('\xff', 1 + length, 'binary');
 
     try {
       if (this.socket.write(buffer)) {