diff --git a/server/app.py b/server/app.py
index 33ba0df..d43f795 100644
--- a/server/app.py
+++ b/server/app.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def mqtt_publisher(shared_mem):
     artnetBindIp = get_eth0_ip()
     artNet = Artnet.Artnet(BINDIP = artnetBindIp, DEBUG = True, SHORTNAME = "PiXelTubeMaster", LONGNAME = "PiXelTubeMaster", PORT = 6454)
     while True:
-        tube_index = bytes(shared_mem.buf[:24]).decode()
+        tube_index = bytes(shared_mem.buf[:24], encoding='utf8').decode()
         # print(tube_index)
         try:
             # Gets whatever the last Art-Net packet we received is