diff --git a/resalloc_agent_spawner/worker.py b/resalloc_agent_spawner/worker.py
index 3ed9c8d..408718a 100644
--- a/resalloc_agent_spawner/worker.py
+++ b/resalloc_agent_spawner/worker.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def handle_ticket(self, ticket_id):
         # We know there's self._redis initialized by parent class so we don't
         # create yet another connection.
         redis_dict = self._redis.hgetall(redis_key)
-        ticket_data = base64.b64encode(redis_dict["data"])
+        ticket_data = base64.b64encode(bytes(redis_dict["data"], 'utf-8'))
 
         if redis_dict["state"] == "PREPARING":
             if self.cmd_take(redis_dict["group_id"], ticket_data):