diff --git a/envconfig.go b/envconfig.go
index 7700394..3f16108 100644
--- a/envconfig.go
+++ b/envconfig.go
@@ -303,7 +303,9 @@ func processField(value string, field reflect.Value) error {
 		field.SetFloat(val)
 	case reflect.Slice:
 		sl := reflect.MakeSlice(typ, 0, 0)
-		if len(strings.TrimSpace(value)) != 0 {
+		if typ.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Uint8 {
+			sl = reflect.ValueOf([]byte(value))
+		} else if len(strings.TrimSpace(value)) != 0 {
 			vals := strings.Split(value, ",")
 			sl = reflect.MakeSlice(typ, len(vals), len(vals))
 			for i, val := range vals {
diff --git a/envconfig_test.go b/envconfig_test.go
index 92cb434..2ca765d 100644
--- a/envconfig_test.go
+++ b/envconfig_test.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type Specification struct {
 	AdminUsers                   []string
 	MagicNumbers                 []int
 	EmptyNumbers                 []int
+	ByteSlice                    []byte
 	ColorCodes                   map[string]int
 	MultiWordVar                 string
 	MultiWordVarWithAutoSplit    uint32 `split_words:"true"`
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ func TestProcess(t *testing.T) {
 	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_ADMINUSERS", "John,Adam,Will")
 	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_MAGICNUMBERS", "5,10,20")
 	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_EMPTYNUMBERS", "")
+	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_BYTESLICE", "this is a test value")
 	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_COLORCODES", "red:1,green:2,blue:3")
 	os.Setenv("SERVICE_HOST", "127.0.0.1")
 	os.Setenv("ENV_CONFIG_TTL", "30")
@@ -152,6 +154,10 @@ func TestProcess(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(s.EmptyNumbers) != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("expected %#v, got %#v", []int{}, s.EmptyNumbers)
 	}
+	expected := "this is a test value"
+	if string(s.ByteSlice) != expected {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", expected, string(s.ByteSlice))
+	}
 	if s.Ignored != "" {
 		t.Errorf("expected empty string, got %#v", s.Ignored)
 	}
diff --git a/testdata/custom.txt b/testdata/custom.txt
index 2174004..04d2f5d 100644
--- a/testdata/custom.txt
+++ b/testdata/custom.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ ENV_CONFIG_TIMEOUT=
 ENV_CONFIG_ADMINUSERS=
 ENV_CONFIG_MAGICNUMBERS=
 ENV_CONFIG_EMPTYNUMBERS=
+ENV_CONFIG_BYTESLICE=
 ENV_CONFIG_COLORCODES=
 ENV_CONFIG_MULTIWORDVAR=
 ENV_CONFIG_MULTI_WORD_VAR_WITH_AUTO_SPLIT=
diff --git a/testdata/default_list.txt b/testdata/default_list.txt
index 49dbea1..fb0eced 100644
--- a/testdata/default_list.txt
+++ b/testdata/default_list.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ ENV_CONFIG_EMPTYNUMBERS
 ..[type]........Comma-separated.list.of.Integer
 ..[default].....
 ..[required]....
+ENV_CONFIG_BYTESLICE
+..[description].
+..[type]........String
+..[default].....
+..[required]....
 ENV_CONFIG_COLORCODES
 ..[description].
 ..[type]........Comma-separated.list.of.String:Integer.pairs
diff --git a/testdata/default_table.txt b/testdata/default_table.txt
index 9d23d3f..65c9b44 100644
--- a/testdata/default_table.txt
+++ b/testdata/default_table.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ ENV_CONFIG_TIMEOUT...............................Duration.......................
 ENV_CONFIG_ADMINUSERS............................Comma-separated.list.of.String....................................................
 ENV_CONFIG_MAGICNUMBERS..........................Comma-separated.list.of.Integer...................................................
 ENV_CONFIG_EMPTYNUMBERS..........................Comma-separated.list.of.Integer...................................................
+ENV_CONFIG_BYTESLICE.............................String............................................................................
 ENV_CONFIG_COLORCODES............................Comma-separated.list.of.String:Integer.pairs......................................
 ENV_CONFIG_MULTIWORDVAR..........................String............................................................................
 ENV_CONFIG_MULTI_WORD_VAR_WITH_AUTO_SPLIT........Unsigned.Integer..................................................................
diff --git a/testdata/fault.txt b/testdata/fault.txt
index b33f137..b525ff1 100644
--- a/testdata/fault.txt
+++ b/testdata/fault.txt
@@ -33,3 +33,4 @@
 {.Key}
 {.Key}
 {.Key}
+{.Key}
diff --git a/usage.go b/usage.go
index 92d713b..1e6d0a8 100644
--- a/usage.go
+++ b/usage.go
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ func implementsInterface(t reflect.Type) bool {
 func toTypeDescription(t reflect.Type) string {
 	switch t.Kind() {
 	case reflect.Array, reflect.Slice:
+		if t.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Uint8 {
+			return "String"
+		}
 		return fmt.Sprintf("Comma-separated list of %s", toTypeDescription(t.Elem()))
 	case reflect.Map:
 		return fmt.Sprintf(