diff --git a/irc.py b/irc.py
index 9df29cb..b8c86d5 100755
--- a/irc.py
+++ b/irc.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class Bot(asynchat.async_chat):
         return self.msg(recipient, textu)
 
     def notice(self, dest, text): 
-        self.write((b'NOTICE', dest), text)
+        self.write(('NOTICE', dest), text)
 
     def error(self, origin): 
         try: 
diff --git a/tests/test_irc.py b/tests/test_irc.py
index 3f3e569..1540152 100644
--- a/tests/test_irc.py
+++ b/tests/test_irc.py
@@ -86,4 +86,4 @@ class BotTest(unittest.TestCase):
         notice = "This is a notice!"
         self.bot.notice('jqh', notice)
 
-        mock_write.assert_called_once_with((b'NOTICE', 'jqh'), notice)
+        mock_write.assert_called_once_with(('NOTICE', 'jqh'), notice)