diff --git a/update-participants.py b/update-participants.py
index d020a5d..60c1559 100755
--- a/update-participants.py
+++ b/update-participants.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ config=settings.load_settings()
 x = xmlrpc.client.ServerProxy(config['xmlrpc_endpoint'])
 page = x.wp.getPage(config['blog_id'], config['participants_page_id'], config['username'], config['password'])
 
-text = render.render_template('templates/users.tmpl')
+text = render.render_template('templates/users.tmpl').decode("utf-8")
 page['description'] = text
 
 x.wp.editPage(config['blog_id'], config['participants_page_id'], config['username'], config['password'],page,True)