diff --git a/beat/backend/python/algorithm.py b/beat/backend/python/algorithm.py
index 9e33b58a3f239f3e6e6d1c9765ce68a1edbd3b34..b12b6de9ac34b6d9c82e051b0095b7fdc23e82e1 100755
--- a/beat/backend/python/algorithm.py
+++ b/beat/backend/python/algorithm.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ class Algorithm(object):
             return
 
         with open(json_path, 'rb') as f:
-            self.data = simplejson.load(f)
+            self.data = simplejson.loads(f.read().decode('utf-8'))
 
         self.code_path = self.storage.code.path
         self.code = self.storage.code.load()