diff --git a/drivers/ISCSISR.py b/drivers/ISCSISR.py
index 9daf7b471..d92ba7c31 100755
--- a/drivers/ISCSISR.py
+++ b/drivers/ISCSISR.py
@@ -153,11 +153,11 @@ def load(self, sr_uuid):
         self.incoming_chappassword = ""
         if self.dconf.has_key('incoming_chapuser') \
                 and (self.dconf.has_key('incoming_chappassword') or self.dconf.has_key('incoming_chappassword_secret')):
-            self.incoming_chapuser = self.dconf['incoming_chapuser']
+            self.incoming_chapuser = self.dconf['incoming_chapuser'].encode('utf-8')
             if self.dconf.has_key('incoming_chappassword_secret'):
-                self.incoming_chappassword = util.get_secret(self.session, self.dconf['incoming_chappassword_secret'])
+                self.incoming_chappassword = util.get_secret(self.session, self.dconf['incoming_chappassword_secret'].encode('utf-8'))
             else:
-                self.incoming_chappassword = self.dconf['incoming_chappassword']
+                self.incoming_chappassword = self.dconf['incoming_chappassword'].encode('utf-8')
 
         self.port = DEFAULT_PORT
         if self.dconf.has_key('port') and self.dconf['port']: