diff --git a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/multi_model_server/inference.py b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/multi_model_server/inference.py
index 595b9d9c39..3cece40c5e 100644
--- a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/multi_model_server/inference.py
+++ b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/multi_model_server/inference.py
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ def input_fn(input_data, content_type):
     try:
         if hasattr(schema_builder, "custom_input_translator"):
             deserialized_data = schema_builder.custom_input_translator.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type
             )
         else:
             deserialized_data = schema_builder.input_deserializer.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type[0]
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type[0]
             )
 
         # Check if preprocess method is defined and call it
diff --git a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/inference.py b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/inference.py
index cad94cc817..294c032ccc 100644
--- a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/inference.py
+++ b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/inference.py
@@ -67,11 +67,11 @@ def input_fn(input_data, content_type):
     try:
         if hasattr(schema_builder, "custom_input_translator"):
             deserialized_data = schema_builder.custom_input_translator.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type
             )
         else:
             deserialized_data = schema_builder.input_deserializer.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type[0]
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type[0]
             )
 
         # Check if preprocess method is defined and call it
diff --git a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/xgboost_inference.py b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/xgboost_inference.py
index 4e82ec66b2..6dab9bc6c6 100644
--- a/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/xgboost_inference.py
+++ b/src/sagemaker/serve/model_server/torchserve/xgboost_inference.py
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ def input_fn(input_data, content_type):
     try:
         if hasattr(schema_builder, "custom_input_translator"):
             return schema_builder.custom_input_translator.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type
             )
         else:
             return schema_builder.input_deserializer.deserialize(
-                io.BytesIO(input_data), content_type[0]
+                io.BytesIO(input_data) if type(input_data)== bytes else io.BytesIO(input_data.encode('utf-8')), content_type[0]
             )
     except Exception as e:
         raise Exception("Encountered error in deserialize_request.") from e