diff --git a/cvs2svn_lib/checkout_internal.py b/cvs2svn_lib/checkout_internal.py
index 8fdc132c..166eda21 100644
--- a/cvs2svn_lib/checkout_internal.py
+++ b/cvs2svn_lib/checkout_internal.py
@@ -134,15 +134,22 @@ def decrement_refcount(self, text_record_db):
     if self.refcount == 0:
       text_record_db.discard(self.id)
 
-  def checkout(self, text_record_db):
+  def checkout_as_lines(self, text_record_db):
     """Workhorse of the checkout process.
 
-    Return the text for this revision, decrement our reference count,
-    and update the databases depending on whether there will be future
-    checkouts."""
+    Return the text for this revision as list of logical lines,
+    decrement our reference count, and update the databases depending
+    on whether there will be future checkouts."""
 
     raise NotImplementedError()
 
+  def checkout(self, text_record_db):
+    """Return the text for this revision.
+
+     Just same as checkout_as_lines() but returns text as flat text string."""
+
+    return "".join(self.checkout_as_lines(text_record_db))
+
   def free(self, text_record_db):
     """This instance will never again be checked out; free it.
 
@@ -168,10 +175,10 @@ def __getstate__(self):
   def __setstate__(self, state):
     (self.id, self.refcount,) = state
 
-  def checkout(self, text_record_db):
-    text = text_record_db.delta_db[self.id]
+  def checkout_as_lines(self, text_record_db):
+    lines = text_record_db.delta_db[self.id]
     self.decrement_refcount(text_record_db)
-    return text
+    return lines
 
   def free(self, text_record_db):
     del text_record_db.delta_db[self.id]
@@ -205,12 +212,12 @@ def __setstate__(self, state):
   def increment_dependency_refcounts(self, text_record_db):
     text_record_db[self.pred_id].refcount += 1
 
-  def checkout(self, text_record_db):
-    base_text = text_record_db[self.pred_id].checkout(text_record_db)
-    rcs_stream = RCSStream(base_text)
+  def checkout_as_lines(self, text_record_db):
+    base_lines = text_record_db[self.pred_id].checkout_as_lines(text_record_db)
+    rcs_stream = RCSStream(base_lines)
     delta_text = text_record_db.delta_db[self.id]
     rcs_stream.apply_diff(delta_text)
-    text = rcs_stream.get_text()
+    lines = rcs_stream.get_lines()
     del rcs_stream
     self.refcount -= 1
     if self.refcount == 0:
@@ -220,11 +227,11 @@ def checkout(self, text_record_db):
       del text_record_db[self.id]
     else:
       # Store a new CheckedOutTextRecord in place of ourselves:
-      text_record_db.checkout_db['%x' % self.id] = text
+      text_record_db.checkout_db['%x' % self.id] = lines
       new_text_record = CheckedOutTextRecord(self.id)
       new_text_record.refcount = self.refcount
       text_record_db.replace(new_text_record)
-    return text
+    return lines
 
   def free(self, text_record_db):
     del text_record_db.delta_db[self.id]
@@ -251,10 +258,10 @@ def __getstate__(self):
   def __setstate__(self, state):
     (self.id, self.refcount,) = state
 
-  def checkout(self, text_record_db):
-    text = text_record_db.checkout_db['%x' % self.id]
+  def checkout_as_lines(self, text_record_db):
+    lines = text_record_db.checkout_db['%x' % self.id]
     self.decrement_refcount(text_record_db)
-    return text
+    return lines
 
   def free(self, text_record_db):
     del text_record_db.checkout_db['%x' % self.id]
@@ -533,7 +540,7 @@ def set_revision_info(self, revision, log, text):
         # This is revision 1.1.  Write its fulltext:
         text_record = FullTextRecord(cvs_rev_id)
         self.revision_collector._writeout(
-            text_record, self._rcs_stream.get_text()
+            text_record, self._rcs_stream.get_lines()
             )
 
         # There will be no more trunk revisions delivered, so free the
diff --git a/cvs2svn_lib/rcs_stream.py b/cvs2svn_lib/rcs_stream.py
index 0963956d..c4ad79a0 100644
--- a/cvs2svn_lib/rcs_stream.py
+++ b/cvs2svn_lib/rcs_stream.py
@@ -174,13 +174,21 @@ class RCSStream:
   def __init__(self, text):
     """Instantiate and initialize the file content with TEXT."""
 
-    self.set_text(text)
+    if isinstance(text, bytes):
+      self.set_text(text)
+    else:
+      self.set_lines(text)
 
   def get_text(self):
     """Return the current file content."""
 
     return "".join(self._lines)
 
+  def get_lines(self):
+    """Return the current file content as list of logical lines."""
+
+    return self._lines
+
   def set_lines(self, lines):
     """Set the current contents to the specified LINES.