diff --git a/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py b/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
index 86671fa..beac499 100644
--- a/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
+++ b/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ class TestDataIntegrity(StepsDataAvailability):
     def test_da_sampling_determines_data_presence(self):
         self.disperse_data(DATA_TO_DISPERSE[0], [0] * 31 + [1], [0] * 8)
         received_data = self.get_data_range([0] * 31 + [1], [0] * 8, [0] * 7 + [5])
-        assert DATA_TO_DISPERSE[0] == received_data[0][1].decode("utf-8")
+        assert DATA_TO_DISPERSE[0] == bytes(received_data[0][1]).decode("utf-8")