diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 590fa13..26d9ae6 100755
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class Phenny(irc.Bot):
 
     def dispatch(self, origin, args): 
         bytes, event, args = args[0], args[1], args[2:]
-        text = decode(bytes)
+        text = str(bytes)
         event = decode(event)
 
         if origin.nick in self.config.ignore: