diff --git a/bencode.py b/bencode.py
index 3a64056..8e05613 100644
--- a/bencode.py
+++ b/bencode.py
@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ def decode_list(x, f):
 
 def decode_dict(x, f):
     r, f = {}, f+1
-    lastkey = b''
+    lastkey = ''
     while x[f] != b'e'[0]:
         k, f = decode_string(x, f)
+        k = k.decode('us-ascii')
         if lastkey >= k:
             raise ValueError
         lastkey = k
@@ -199,8 +200,8 @@ def test_bdecode():
     except ValueError:
         pass
     assert bdecode(b'de') == {}
-    assert bdecode(b'd3:agei25e4:eyes4:bluee') == {b'age': 25, b'eyes': b'blue'}
-    assert bdecode(b'd8:spam.mp3d6:author5:Alice6:lengthi100000eee') == {b'spam.mp3': {b'author': b'Alice', b'length': 100000}}
+    assert bdecode(b'd3:agei25e4:eyes4:bluee') == {'age': 25, 'eyes': b'blue'}
+    assert bdecode(b'd8:spam.mp3d6:author5:Alice6:lengthi100000eee') == {'spam.mp3': {'author': b'Alice', 'length': 100000}}
     try:
         bdecode(b'd3:fooe')
         assert 0