diff --git a/src/grung/types.py b/src/grung/types.py
index 2becdc7..2c67954 100644
--- a/src/grung/types.py
+++ b/src/grung/types.py
@@ -304,7 +304,9 @@ class FilePointer(Field):
         relpath = self.relpath(record)
         path = db.path / relpath
         path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-        path.write_bytes(record[self.name])
+        path.write_bytes(
+            record[self.name] if isinstance(record[self.name], FilePointer.value_type) else record[self.name].encode()
+        )
         record[self.name] = str(relpath)