diff --git a/tests/test_encoding.py b/tests/test_encoding.py
index 04d629d3a3b9b6e152a9ff732aca013b9723da2b..be256a26a1307318f87c661de65f1c4de9b17e71 100644
--- a/tests/test_encoding.py
+++ b/tests/test_encoding.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import nacl.encoding
 import nacl.secret
 
 
-KEY = "1" * nacl.secret.SecretBox.KEY_SIZE
-NONCE = "1" * nacl.secret.SecretBox.NONCE_SIZE
+KEY = b"1" * nacl.secret.SecretBox.KEY_SIZE
+NONCE = b"1" * nacl.secret.SecretBox.NONCE_SIZE
 TEXT = b"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
 VECTORS = [
     # Encoder, Ciphertext