diff --git a/python-ecosys/aiohttp/aiohttp/aiohttp_ws.py b/python-ecosys/aiohttp/aiohttp/aiohttp_ws.py
index e5575a11c..07d833730 100644
--- a/python-ecosys/aiohttp/aiohttp/aiohttp_ws.py
+++ b/python-ecosys/aiohttp/aiohttp/aiohttp_ws.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def _parse_frame_header(cls, header):
 
     def _process_websocket_frame(self, opcode, payload):
         if opcode == self.TEXT:
-            payload = payload.decode()
+            payload = str(payload, "utf-8")
         elif opcode == self.BINARY:
             pass
         elif opcode == self.CLOSE:
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ async def handshake(self, uri, ssl, req):
         headers["Host"] = f"{uri.hostname}:{uri.port}"
         headers["Connection"] = "Upgrade"
         headers["Upgrade"] = "websocket"
-        headers["Sec-WebSocket-Key"] = key
+        headers["Sec-WebSocket-Key"] = str(key, "utf-8")
         headers["Sec-WebSocket-Version"] = "13"
         headers["Origin"] = f"{_http_proto}://{uri.hostname}:{uri.port}"
 
diff --git a/python-ecosys/aiohttp/manifest.py b/python-ecosys/aiohttp/manifest.py
index 9cb2ef50f..748970e5b 100644
--- a/python-ecosys/aiohttp/manifest.py
+++ b/python-ecosys/aiohttp/manifest.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 metadata(
     description="HTTP client module for MicroPython asyncio module",
-    version="0.0.2",
+    version="0.0.3",
     pypi="aiohttp",
 )