diff --git a/tests/integration/test_httpx.py b/tests/integration/test_httpx.py
index 22b3e6933..723daed7b 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_httpx.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_httpx.py
@@ -285,3 +285,31 @@ def test_stream(tmpdir, httpbin, do_request):
         assert cassette_content == response_content
         assert len(cassette_content) == 512
         assert cassette.play_count == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.online
+def test_text_content_type(tmpdir, httpbin, do_request):
+    url = httpbin.url + "/json"
+
+    with vcr.use_cassette(str(tmpdir.join("json_type.yaml"))):
+        response = do_request()("GET", url)
+
+    with vcr.use_cassette(str(tmpdir.join("json_type.yaml"))) as cassette:
+        cassette_response = do_request()("GET", url)
+        assert cassette_response.content == response.content
+        assert cassette.play_count == 1
+        assert isinstance(cassette.responses[0]["content"], str)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.online
+def test_binary_content_type(tmpdir, httpbin, do_request):
+    url = httpbin.url + "/bytes/1024"
+
+    with vcr.use_cassette(str(tmpdir.join("json_type.yaml"))):
+        response = do_request()("GET", url)
+
+    with vcr.use_cassette(str(tmpdir.join("json_type.yaml"))) as cassette:
+        cassette_response = do_request()("GET", url)
+        assert cassette_response.content == response.content
+        assert cassette.play_count == 1
+        assert isinstance(cassette.responses[0]["content"], bytes)
diff --git a/vcr/stubs/httpx_stubs.py b/vcr/stubs/httpx_stubs.py
index aa5e05a40..4d4b96a07 100644
--- a/vcr/stubs/httpx_stubs.py
+++ b/vcr/stubs/httpx_stubs.py
@@ -34,11 +34,16 @@ def _transform_headers(httpx_response):
 
 
 def _to_serialized_response(httpx_response):
+    try:
+        content = httpx_response.content.decode("utf-8")
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        content = httpx_response.content
+
     return {
         "status_code": httpx_response.status_code,
         "http_version": httpx_response.http_version,
         "headers": _transform_headers(httpx_response),
-        "content": httpx_response.content,
+        "content": content,
     }
 
 
@@ -58,6 +63,8 @@ def _from_serialized_headers(headers):
 @patch("httpx.Response.read", MagicMock())
 def _from_serialized_response(request, serialized_response, history=None):
     content = serialized_response.get("content")
+    if isinstance(content, str):
+        content = content.encode("utf-8")
     response = httpx.Response(
         status_code=serialized_response.get("status_code"),
         request=request,