diff --git a/variable_grabbler.py b/variable_grabbler.py
index a48ec58..c226c38 100644
--- a/variable_grabbler.py
+++ b/variable_grabbler.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ exit_codes = {
   "error while processing": 2
 }
 
-stderr("Variable Grabbler - version 5.0_pre1\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------")
+stderr("Variable Grabbler - version 5.0_pre2\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------")
 ################################################################################
 # Chnages in this version:
 # - complete rewrite in Python 3
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ for macro in macros:
             stderr("I: Running command: " + macro)
             process = subprocess.Popen(macros[macro][1], shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
             process_stdout, process_stderr = process.communicate()
-            macros[macro] = process_stdout
+            macros[macro] = process_stdout.decode("utf-8")
             if len(process_stderr) > 0:
                 stderr("Output on stderr:\n"+process_stderr)
             if not process.returncode == 0: