diff --git a/app/js/services/Meritocracy.js b/app/js/services/Meritocracy.js
index f72a91d..185495a 100644
--- a/app/js/services/Meritocracy.js
+++ b/app/js/services/Meritocracy.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function addContributor(name, address) {
 
       const newHash = await saveContributorList(list);
 
-      const addContributor = Meritocracy.methods.addContributor(address, newHash);
+      const addContributor = Meritocracy.methods.addContributor(address, web3.utils.toHex(newHash));
       let gas = await addContributor.estimateGas({from: mainAccount});
       const receipt = await addContributor.send({from: mainAccount, gas: gas + 1000});
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function removeContributor(address) {
 
       const newHash = await saveContributorList(list);
 
-      const removeContributor = Meritocracy.methods.removeContributor(index, newHash);
+      const removeContributor = Meritocracy.methods.removeContributor(index, web3.utils.toHex(newHash));
       let gas = await removeContributor.estimateGas({from: mainAccount});
       const receipt = await removeContributor.send({from: mainAccount, gas: gas + 1000});
 
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export function getContributorList(hash) {
     try {
       if (!hash) {
         hash = await Meritocracy.methods.contributorListIPFSHash().call();
+        hash = web3.utils.hexToAscii(hash);
       }
 
       const content = await EmbarkJS.Storage.get(hash);
diff --git a/config/contracts.js b/config/contracts.js
index 0d103f7..709deb7 100644
--- a/config/contracts.js
+++ b/config/contracts.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ function getContributors () {
    return addresses;
 }
 
-const OG_IPFS_HASH = 'QmREHBNWoJCx8KDz7PBAThv8mrxGRWimbzqZsL8aDzfLHW';
+const OG_IPFS_HASH = '0x516d524548424e576f4a4378384b447a37504241546876386d7278475257696d627a715a734c3861447a664c4857';
 
 module.exports = {
   // default applies to all environments
diff --git a/contracts/Meritocracy.sol b/contracts/Meritocracy.sol
index d29c80d..ad26d39 100644
--- a/contracts/Meritocracy.sol
+++ b/contracts/Meritocracy.sol
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ contract Meritocracy {
     uint256 public maxContributors; // Dynamic finite limit on registry.
     mapping(address => bool) public admins;
     mapping(address => Contributor) public contributors;
-    string public contributorListIPFSHash;
+    bytes public contributorListIPFSHash;
 
     Meritocracy public previousMeritocracy; // Reference and read from previous contract
 
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ contract Meritocracy {
     // Admin Functions  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     // Add Contributor to Registry
-    function addContributor(address _contributor, string memory _contributorListIPFSHash) public onlyAdmin {
+    function addContributor(address _contributor, bytes memory _contributorListIPFSHash) public onlyAdmin {
        addContributorWithoutHash(_contributor);
 
         // Set new IPFS hash for the list
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ contract Meritocracy {
     }
 
     // Add Multiple Contributors to the Registry in one tx
-    function addContributors(address[] calldata _newContributors, string calldata _contributorListIPFSHash) external onlyAdmin {
+    function addContributors(address[] calldata _newContributors, bytes calldata _contributorListIPFSHash) external onlyAdmin {
         // Locals
         uint256 newContributorLength = _newContributors.length;
         // Requirements
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ contract Meritocracy {
     // Remove Contributor from Registry
     // Note: Should not be easy to remove multiple contributors in one tx
     // WARN: Changed to idx, client can do loop by enumerating registry
-    function removeContributor(uint256 idx, string calldata _contributorListIPFSHash) external onlyAdmin { // address _contributor
+    function removeContributor(uint256 idx, bytes calldata _contributorListIPFSHash) external onlyAdmin { // address _contributor
         // Locals
         uint256 registryLength = registry.length - 1;
         // Requirements
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ contract Meritocracy {
     // }
 
     // Set Owner, Token address,  initial maxContributors
-    constructor(address _token, uint256 _maxContributors, string memory _contributorListIPFSHash) public {
+    constructor(address _token, uint256 _maxContributors, bytes memory _contributorListIPFSHash) public {
         // Body
         owner = msg.sender;
         addAdmin(owner);
diff --git a/test/Meritocracy_spec.js b/test/Meritocracy_spec.js
index 4351d7b..9985cf2 100644
--- a/test/Meritocracy_spec.js
+++ b/test/Meritocracy_spec.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ let owner;
 let admins;
 let ownerInitTokens;
 
-const IPFS_HASH = 'QmfWJJYFBJReu2rzTDzkBKXHazE52GVWrTcVNKdcupnxNH';
+const IPFS_HASH = web3.utils.toHex('QmREHBNWoJCx8KDz7PBAThv8mrxGRWimbzqZsL8aDzfLHW');
 
 // For documentation please see https://embark.status.im/docs/contracts_testing.html
 config({