diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
index 5bdb362db7..f825abe8ba 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def gdal_version():
 
 def gdal_full_version():
     "Return the full GDAL version information."
-    return _version_info('')
+    return _version_info(b'')
 
 
 version_regex = _lazy_re_compile(r'^(?P<major>\d+)\.(?P<minor>\d+)(\.(?P<subminor>\d+))?')
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/tests.py b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/tests.py
index a1847cd677..607753271f 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/tests.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import unittest
 
-from django.contrib.gis.gdal import GDAL_VERSION, gdal_version
+from django.contrib.gis.gdal import (
+    GDAL_VERSION, gdal_full_version, gdal_version,
+)
 
 
 class GDALTest(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -9,3 +11,8 @@ class GDALTest(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(gdal_version(), ('%s.%s.%s' % GDAL_VERSION).encode())
         else:
             self.assertIn(b'.', gdal_version())
+
+    def test_gdal_full_version(self):
+        full_version = gdal_full_version()
+        self.assertIn(gdal_version(), full_version)
+        self.assertTrue(full_version.startswith(b'GDAL'))