diff --git a/GhidraBuild/IDAPro/Python/7xx/python/idaxml.py b/GhidraBuild/IDAPro/Python/7xx/python/idaxml.py
index 51fc8eba99..3bd77cc691 100644
--- a/GhidraBuild/IDAPro/Python/7xx/python/idaxml.py
+++ b/GhidraBuild/IDAPro/Python/7xx/python/idaxml.py
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ class XmlExporter(IdaXml):
         # tag_remove seems to be losing last character
         # work around is to add a space
         cmt_text = ida_lines.tag_remove(cmt + ' ')
-        self.write_text(cmt_text)
+        self.write_text(cmt_text.decode('utf-8'))
         self.end_element(COMMENT, False)