diff --git a/python/ycm/base.py b/python/ycm/base.py
index 1fb73dba..ee3c99b3 100644
--- a/python/ycm/base.py
+++ b/python/ycm/base.py
@@ -111,22 +111,16 @@ def AdjustCandidateInsertionText( candidates ):
 
   new_candidates = []
   for candidate in candidates:
-    if isinstance( candidate, dict ):
-      new_candidate = candidate.copy()
+    new_candidate = candidate.copy()
 
-      if 'abbr' not in new_candidate:
-        new_candidate[ 'abbr' ] = new_candidate[ 'word' ]
+    if 'abbr' not in new_candidate:
+      new_candidate[ 'abbr' ] = new_candidate[ 'word' ]
 
-      new_candidate[ 'word' ] = NewCandidateInsertionText(
-        new_candidate[ 'word' ],
-        text_after_cursor )
+    new_candidate[ 'word' ] = NewCandidateInsertionText(
+      new_candidate[ 'word' ],
+      text_after_cursor )
 
-      new_candidates.append( new_candidate )
-
-    elif isinstance( candidate, str ) or isinstance( candidate, bytes ):
-      new_candidates.append(
-        { 'abbr': candidate,
-          'word': NewCandidateInsertionText( candidate, text_after_cursor ) } )
+    new_candidates.append( new_candidate )
   return new_candidates
 
 
diff --git a/python/ycm/tests/base_test.py b/python/ycm/tests/base_test.py
index 9f7516d1..a7249b61 100644
--- a/python/ycm/tests/base_test.py
+++ b/python/ycm/tests/base_test.py
@@ -57,49 +57,49 @@ def MockTextAfterCursor( text ):
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_Basic_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_ParenInTextAfterCursor_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar(zoo' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_PlusInTextAfterCursor_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar+zoo' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_WhitespaceInTextAfterCursor_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar zoo' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_MoreThanWordMatchingAfterCursor_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar.h' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar.h', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar.h' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar.h' } ] ) )
 
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar(zoo' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar(zoo', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar(zoo' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar(zoo' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_NotSuffix_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foofoo', 'word': 'foofoo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foofoo' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foofoo' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_NothingAfterCursor_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( '' ):
-    eq_( [ 'foofoo',
-           'zobar' ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foofoo',
-                                              'zobar' ] ) )
+    eq_( [ { 'word': 'foofoo' },
+           { 'word': 'zobar' } ],
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foofoo' },
+                                              { 'word': 'zobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_MultipleStrings_test():
@@ -108,17 +108,16 @@ def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_MultipleStrings_test():
            { 'abbr': 'zobar', 'word': 'zo' },
            { 'abbr': 'qbar', 'word': 'q' },
            { 'abbr': 'bar', 'word': '' }, ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ 'foobar',
-                                              'zobar',
-                                              'qbar',
-                                              'bar' ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' },
+                                              { 'word': 'zobar' },
+                                              { 'word': 'qbar' },
+                                              { 'word': 'bar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_DictInput_test():
   with MockTextAfterCursor( 'bar' ):
     eq_( [ { 'abbr': 'foobar', 'word': 'foo' } ],
-         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText(
-           [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
+         base.AdjustCandidateInsertionText( [ { 'word': 'foobar' } ] ) )
 
 
 def AdjustCandidateInsertionText_DontTouchAbbr_test():