diff --git a/deluge/config.py b/deluge/config.py
index 400e187ae..45a440d1a 100644
--- a/deluge/config.py
+++ b/deluge/config.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class Config(object):
                 raise
 
         if isinstance(value, bytes):
-            value.decode('utf8')
+            value = value.decode('utf8')
 
         log.debug('Setting key "%s" to: %s (of type: %s)', key, value, type(value))
         self.__config[key] = value