diff --git a/management/status_checks.py b/management/status_checks.py
index 13cbab1..d9ce484 100755
--- a/management/status_checks.py
+++ b/management/status_checks.py
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ def check_dns_zone(domain, env, output, dns_zonefiles):
                                % (existing_ns, correct_ns) )

        # Check that each custom secondary nameserver resolves the IP address.
-
+
        if custom_secondary_ns and not probably_external_dns:
                for ns in custom_secondary_ns:
                        # We must first resolve the nameserver to an IP address so we can query it.
@@ -680,7 +680,14 @@ def query_dns(qname, rtype, nxdomain='[Not Set]', at=None):
        # periods from responses since that's how qnames are encoded in DNS but is
        # confusing for us. The order of the answers doesn't matter, so sort so we
        # can compare to a well known order.
-       return "; ".join(sorted(str(r).rstrip('.') for r in response))
+       arr = []
+       for r in response:
+               s = r.to_text()
+               if isinstance(s, bytes):
+                       s = s.decode('utf-8')
+               arr.append(s)
+
+       return "; ".join(sorted(str(r).rstrip('.') for r in arr))

 def check_ssl_cert(domain, rounded_time, ssl_certificates, env, output):
        # Check that TLS certificate is signed.
@@ -897,7 +904,7 @@ class FileOutput:
 class ConsoleOutput(FileOutput):
        def __init__(self):
                self.buf = sys.stdout
-
+
                # Do nice line-wrapping according to the size of the terminal.
                # The 'stty' program queries standard input for terminal information.
                if sys.stdin.isatty():

diff --git a/management/ssl_certificates.py b/management/ssl_certificates.py
index c49443b..8d2683e 100755
--- a/management/ssl_certificates.py
+++ b/management/ssl_certificates.py
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def get_certificates_to_provision(env, show_extended_problems=True, force_domain
                        if cert.issuer == cert.subject:
                                # This is self-signed. Get a real one.
                                domains.add(domain)
-
+
                        # Valid certificate today, but is it expiring soon?
                        elif cert.not_valid_after-now < datetime.timedelta(days=14):
                                domains.add(domain)
@@ -238,7 +238,12 @@ def get_certificates_to_provision(env, show_extended_problems=True, force_domain
                        except Exception as e:
                                problems[domain] = "DNS isn't configured properly for this domain: DNS lookup had an error: %s." % str(e)
                                return False
-                       if len(response) != 1 or str(response[0]) != value:
+
+                       response_arr = [response[0]]
+                       if isinstance(response[0].to_text(), bytes):
+                                response_arr[0] = response[0].to_text().decode('utf-8')
+
+                       if len(response) != 1 or str(response_arr[0]) != value:
                                problems[domain] = "Domain control validation cannot be performed for this domain because DNS points the domain to another machine (%s %s)." % (r
                                return False

@@ -406,7 +411,7 @@ def provision_certificates_cmdline():
        headless = False
        force_domains = None
        show_extended_problems = True
-
+
        args = list(sys.argv)
        args.pop(0) # program name
        if args and args[0] == "-v":
@@ -488,7 +493,7 @@ control panel.

 Do you agree to the agreement? Type Y or N and press <ENTER>: """
                                 % request["url"], end='', flush=True)
-
+
                                if sys.stdin.readline().strip().upper() != "Y":
                                        print("\nYou didn't agree. Quitting.")
                                        sys.exit(1)