diff --git a/paypal/standard/models.py b/paypal/standard/models.py
index ad44201..201fbf0 100644
--- a/paypal/standard/models.py
+++ b/paypal/standard/models.py
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ def initialize(self, request):
             self.query = request.META.get('QUERY_STRING', '')
         elif request.method == 'POST':
             # The following works if paypal sends an ASCII bytestring, which it does.
-            self.query = request.body
+            self.query = request.body.decode('ascii')
         self.ipaddress = request.META.get('REMOTE_ADDR', '')
 
     def _postback(self):