diff --git a/scarches/models/_utils.py b/scarches/models/_utils.py
index 95f890df..1b53b3b5 100755
--- a/scarches/models/_utils.py
+++ b/scarches/models/_utils.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ def _print_progress_bar(iteration, total, prefix='', suffix='', decimals=1, leng
     percent = ("{0:." + str(decimals) + "f}").format(100 * (iteration / float(total)))
     filled_len = int(length * iteration // total)
     bar = fill * filled_len + '-' * (length - filled_len)
-    sys.stdout.write('\r%s |%s| %s%s %s' % (prefix, bar, percent, '%', suffix)),
+    sys.stdout.write(f'\r{prefix} |{bar}| {percent}% {suffix}'.encode("utf-8")),
     if iteration == total:
         sys.stdout.write('\n')
     sys.stdout.flush()