diff --git a/jc/lib.py b/jc/lib.py
index 3862a654..f554a824 100644
--- a/jc/lib.py
+++ b/jc/lib.py
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def _parser_is_streaming(parser):
 
 def parse(
     parser_mod_name: str,
-    data: Union[str, Iterable[str]],
+    data: Union[str, bytes, Iterable[str]],
     quiet: bool = False,
     raw: bool = False,
     ignore_exceptions: bool = None,
@@ -216,9 +216,9 @@ def parse(
                                          cli-name, and --argument-name
                                          variants of the module name.
 
-        data:               (string or   data to parse (string for normal
-                            iterable)    parsers, iterable of strings for
-                                         streaming parsers)
+        data:               (string or   data to parse (string or bytes for
+                            bytes or     standard parsers, iterable of
+                            iterable)    strings for streaming parsers)
 
         raw:                (boolean)    output preprocessed JSON if True