diff --git a/autonomic/command/actions.py b/autonomic/command/actions.py
index 6f6bfec..56358da 100644
--- a/autonomic/command/actions.py
+++ b/autonomic/command/actions.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ from PyInquirer import prompt
 
 from autonomic.config import ACTIONS_DIR, INFRA_DIR, PASS_STORE_DIR
 from autonomic.infra import get_passwd, run_play
-from autonomic.utils import git_status, qlist
 from autonomic.settings import get
+from autonomic.utils import git_status, qlist
 
 
 @click.command()
diff --git a/autonomic/infra.py b/autonomic/infra.py
index 23747bb..06466a9 100644
--- a/autonomic/infra.py
+++ b/autonomic/infra.py
@@ -40,4 +40,4 @@ def get_passwd(path):
     cmd = ["pass", "show", path]
     output = run(cmd, cwd=INFRA_DIR, env=env)
 
-    return output.decode("utf-8").strip()
+    return output.strip()
diff --git a/autonomic/utils.py b/autonomic/utils.py
index c69285d..ca10693 100644
--- a/autonomic/utils.py
+++ b/autonomic/utils.py
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ things here.
 """
 
 from os import chdir
-from subprocess import check_output, call
+from subprocess import call, check_output
 
 from psutil import process_iter
 
+from autonomic.config import INFRA_DIR
 from autonomic.logger import log
 from autonomic.yaml import yaml
 
@@ -32,7 +33,9 @@ def run(cmd, cwd=None, interactive=False, **kwargs):
 
         if interactive:
             return call(cmd, **kwargs)
-        return check_output(cmd, **kwargs)
+
+        output = check_output(cmd, **kwargs)
+        return output.decode("utf-8")
     except Exception as exception:
         msg = "{} failed! Saw {}".format(" ".join(cmd), str(exception))
         exit(msg)
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index 75a28ba..9edf2ac 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def test_run_cwd(tmp_path):
     testfile.write_text("hello, world")
 
     output = run(["ls"], cwd=directory.absolute())
-    assert "testfile.txt" in output.decode()
+    assert "testfile.txt" in output
 
 
 def test_make_qlist():