diff --git a/capsulflask/virt_model.py b/capsulflask/virt_model.py
index 39d472f..4b0bce7 100644
--- a/capsulflask/virt_model.py
+++ b/capsulflask/virt_model.py
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ class ShellScriptVirtualization(VirtualizationInterface):
 
     self.validate_completed_process(completedProcess, email)
     lines = completedProcess.stdout.splitlines()
+    status = lines[len(lines)-1].decode("utf-8")
 
     vmSettings = f"""
       id={id}
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ class ShellScriptVirtualization(VirtualizationInterface):
       ssh_public_keys={ssh_keys_string}
     """
 
-    if not lines[len(lines)-1] == "success":
+    if not status == "success":
       raise ValueError(f"""failed to create vm for {email} with:
         {vmSettings}
         stdout:
@@ -160,8 +161,9 @@ class ShellScriptVirtualization(VirtualizationInterface):
     completedProcess = run([join(current_app.root_path, 'shell_scripts/destroy.sh'), id], capture_output=True)
     self.validate_completed_process(completedProcess, email)
     lines = completedProcess.stdout.splitlines()
+    status = lines[len(lines)-1].decode("utf-8")
 
-    if not lines[len(lines)-1] == "success":
+    if not status == "success":
       raise ValueError(f"""failed to destroy vm "{id}" for {email}:
         stdout:
         {completedProcess.stdout}