diff --git a/beat/core/test/test_worker.py b/beat/core/test/test_worker.py
index e76c370fffb601f76c4b7a6a287405e41be8b9a9..693abc3bb6126857871b50d8ee61ee301b8e607d 100644
--- a/beat/core/test/test_worker.py
+++ b/beat/core/test/test_worker.py
@@ -145,10 +145,10 @@ class ControllerProcess(multiprocessing.Process):
         self.queue.put('STARTED')
 
         def onWorkerReady(name):
-            self.queue.put('READY ' + name)
+            self.queue.put('READY ' + name.decode('utf-8'))
 
         def onWorkerGone(name):
-            self.queue.put('GONE ' + name)
+            self.queue.put('GONE ' + name.decode('utf-8'))
 
         self.controller = WorkerController(
             '127.0.0.1',