diff --git a/rhn-client-tools.spec b/rhn-client-tools.spec
index a14055c..1d9e477 100644
--- a/rhn-client-tools.spec
+++ b/rhn-client-tools.spec
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 Summary: Support programs and libraries for Red Hat Satellite or Spacewalk
 Name: rhn-client-tools
 Version: 2.8.16
-Release: 10%{?dist}
+Release: 11%{?dist}
 License: GPLv2
 Source0: https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/archive/%{name}-%{version}.tar.gz
 URL:     https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk
@@ -689,6 +689,9 @@ make -f Makefile.rhn-client-tools test
 %endif
 
 %changelog
+* Tue Nov 06 2018 Michael Mraka <michael.mraka@redhat.com> 2.8.16-11
+- Resolves: #1646929 - convert values from bytes to string in py3
+
 * Fri Nov 02 2018 Tomas Kasparek <tkasparek@redhat.com> 2.8.16-10
 - Resolves: #1626421 - python3 is expecting str, not bytes
   (tkasparek@redhat.com)
diff --git a/src/up2date_client/up2dateUtils.py b/src/up2date_client/up2dateUtils.py
index b7d4496..93aea40 100644
--- a/src/up2date_client/up2dateUtils.py
+++ b/src/up2date_client/up2dateUtils.py
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@ else:
             SYSRELVER = 'system-release(releasever)'
             version = sstr(h['version'])
             release = sstr(h['release'])
-            if SYSRELVER in h['providename']:
-                provides = dict(zip(h['providename'], h['provideversion']))
+            if SYSRELVER in (sstr(provide) for provide in h['providename']):
+                provides = dict((sstr(n), sstr(v))
+                                for n,v in zip(h['providename'], h['provideversion']))
                 release = '%s-%s' % (version, release)
                 version = provides[SYSRELVER]
             osVersionRelease = (sstr(h['name']), version, release)
@@ -49,8 +50,9 @@ else:
                 SYSRELVER = 'system-release(releasever)'
                 version = sstr(h['version'])
                 release = sstr(h['release'])
-                if SYSRELVER in h['providename']:
-                    provides = dict(zip(h['providename'], h['provideversion']))
+                if SYSRELVER in (sstr(provide) for provide in h['providename']):
+                    provides = dict((sstr(n), sstr(v))
+                                    for n,v in zip(h['providename'], h['provideversion']))
                     release = '%s-%s' % (version, release)
                     version = provides[SYSRELVER]
                 osVersionRelease = (sstr(h['name']), version, release)