diff --git a/src/xapi/views.py b/src/xapi/views.py
index 437aad28c5d3e0d2ebbe31888912bee43155a21f..8858ffbcbac23bc5e84dd06896c0869dc9790659 100644
--- a/src/xapi/views.py
+++ b/src/xapi/views.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def shib_connector_resolver_to_pairwaise_id(email, provider):
         user_id, lrs_type = email.split("@")
         
       if settings.SHIB_ID_CONNECTOR_CACHE and r.exists(email):
-         shib_id = r.get(email)
+         shib_id = str(r.get(email), encoding='utf-8')
       else:
          client = zeep.Client(wsdl=settings.SHIB_ID_CONNECTOR_URL)
          app_secret = settings.SHIB_ID_CONNECTOR_APP_SECRET