diff --git a/.gitlab/test.py b/.gitlab/test.py
index 02113ca0a49b851fbbcedbdf79fca9b7dbc5f562..d8517e741248675ecaafba82ef5b129f8773736a 100644
--- a/.gitlab/test.py
+++ b/.gitlab/test.py
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ def get_current_message():
     response = urllib.request.urlopen(request)
     print('status: %s' % response.status)
     print('headers:', response.headers)
-    response_body = response.read()
-    data = json.load(response_body)
+    response_data = response.read().decode()
+    data = json.load(response_data)
     if data['release'] is None:
         return False, ''
     else: