diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index 98a50a03d..75f8d1f22 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -2996,8 +2996,7 @@ class GroupchatConfigWindow:
                 ['reason'] != model[iter_][1]):
                     users_dict[jid] = {'affiliation': affiliation}
                     if affiliation == 'outcast':
-                        users_dict[jid]['reason'] = model[iter_][1].decode(
-                            'utf-8')
+                        users_dict[jid]['reason'] = model[iter_][1]
                 iter_ = model.iter_next(iter_)
             # remove removed one
             for jid in self.start_users_dict[affiliation]:
diff --git a/src/disco.py b/src/disco.py
index 223291120..7cef5e283 100644
--- a/src/disco.py
+++ b/src/disco.py
@@ -1649,8 +1649,8 @@ class ToplevelAgentBrowser(AgentBrowser):
         iter_ = None
         cat_iter = self.model.get_iter_first()
         while cat_iter and not iter_:
-            cjid = self.model.get_value(cat_iter, 0).decode('utf-8')
-            cnode = self.model.get_value(cat_iter, 1).decode('utf-8')
+            cjid = self.model.get_value(cat_iter, 0)
+            cnode = self.model.get_value(cat_iter, 1)
             if jid == cjid and node == cnode:
                 iter_ = cat_iter
                 break