diff --git a/beat/backend/python/data.py b/beat/backend/python/data.py
index c0fdce0b0c7fa8f5049c0e91b59aad5b692a34b6..8c03204804ba4d925e9813422885a1c249576b8f 100644
--- a/beat/backend/python/data.py
+++ b/beat/backend/python/data.py
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ class RemoteDataSource(DataSource):
         self.socket.send_string('ifo', zmq.SNDMORE)
         self.socket.send_string(self.input_name)
 
-        answer = self.socket.recv()
+        answer = self.socket.recv().decode('utf-8')
         logger.debug('recv: %s', answer)
 
         if answer == 'err':