diff --git a/aossceilo/ingest.py b/aossceilo/ingest.py
index a1c15e9104ad5af5513bd2ef651e4c88f9169ce3..2ce8a82419a940ca2fca2e4381493d2015931e55 100755
--- a/aossceilo/ingest.py
+++ b/aossceilo/ingest.py
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ def init_ceilo(portdev):
                         "CLOSE\r\n")
     for line in init_commands:
         LOG.log(9, "SEND: %s", line.strip())
-        port.write(line)
+        port.write(line.encode('ascii'))
         port.flush()
         lines = port.readlines()
         for l in lines:
-            LOG.log(9, "RECV: %s", l.strip())
+            LOG.log(9, "RECV: %s", l.decode().strip())
     
     port.close()
     
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def main():
         LOG.log(9, "got log %s", fptr.name)
 
         try:
-            in_lines = port.readlines()
+            in_lines = [x.decode() for x in port.readlines()]
             LOG.debug("read %s lines", len(in_lines))
             
             num_hdrs, out_lines = process_lines(in_lines, datetime.now())