diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py b/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
index 27a09ef86c..561d1813c1 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from test_framework.util import hex_str_to_bytes, assert_equal
 
 MIN_VERSION_SUPPORTED = 60001
 MY_VERSION = 70016  # past wtxid relay
-MY_SUBVERSION = b"/python-p2p-tester:0.0.3/"
+MY_SUBVERSION = "/python-p2p-tester:0.0.3/"
 MY_RELAY = 1 # from version 70001 onwards, fRelay should be appended to version messages (BIP37)
 
 MAX_LOCATOR_SZ = 101
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ class msg_version:
         self.addrFrom = CAddress()
         self.addrFrom.deserialize(f, with_time=False)
         self.nNonce = struct.unpack("<Q", f.read(8))[0]
-        self.strSubVer = deser_string(f)
+        self.strSubVer = deser_string(f).decode('utf-8')
 
         self.nStartingHeight = struct.unpack("<i", f.read(4))[0]
 
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ class msg_version:
         r += self.addrTo.serialize(with_time=False)
         r += self.addrFrom.serialize(with_time=False)
         r += struct.pack("<Q", self.nNonce)
-        r += ser_string(self.strSubVer)
+        r += ser_string(self.strSubVer.encode('utf-8'))
         r += struct.pack("<i", self.nStartingHeight)
         r += struct.pack("<b", self.nRelay)
         return r
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index b61d433652..9f2b570913 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ class TestNode():
 
     def num_test_p2p_connections(self):
         """Return number of test framework p2p connections to the node."""
-        return len([peer for peer in self.getpeerinfo() if peer['subver'] == MY_SUBVERSION.decode("utf-8")])
+        return len([peer for peer in self.getpeerinfo() if peer['subver'] == MY_SUBVERSION])
 
     def disconnect_p2ps(self):
         """Close all p2p connections to the node."""