diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index c87fa2d..8cf3453 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ before_script:
 
 script:
 - py.test -v -s tests
-- py.test -v -s --rethinkdb-servers=localhost tests tests
+- py.test -v -s --rethinkdb-servers=localhost tests
 - py.test -v -s --rethinkdb-servers=localhost --rethinkdb-big-table tests
 
 notifications:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index f1ffd48..806ae0a 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ except:
 
 setuptools.setup(
         name='warcprox',
-        version='2.1b1.dev55',
+        version='2.1b1.dev56',
         description='WARC writing MITM HTTP/S proxy',
         url='https://github.com/internetarchive/warcprox',
         author='Noah Levitt',
diff --git a/warcprox/bigtable.py b/warcprox/bigtable.py
index 69876c2..f80d876 100644
--- a/warcprox/bigtable.py
+++ b/warcprox/bigtable.py
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class RethinkCaptures:
         else:
             bucket = "__unspecified__"
 
-        canon_surt = urlcanon.semantic(recorded_url.url).decode("utf-8")
+        canon_surt = urlcanon.semantic(recorded_url.url).__bytes__()
 
         entry = {
             # id only specified for rethinkdb partitioning