diff --git a/sylk/applications/webrtcgateway/protocol.py b/sylk/applications/webrtcgateway/protocol.py
index 6e71ccf..399ee1d 100644
--- a/sylk/applications/webrtcgateway/protocol.py
+++ b/sylk/applications/webrtcgateway/protocol.py
@@ -1,64 +1,64 @@
 
 import json
 
 from application.notification import NotificationCenter, NotificationData
 from autobahn.twisted.websocket import WebSocketServerProtocol
 from autobahn.websocket import ConnectionDeny
 
 from .handler import ConnectionHandler
 from .janus import JanusBackend
 from .logger import log
 
 
 SYLK_WS_PROTOCOL = 'sylkRTC-2'
 
 
 class SylkWebSocketServerProtocol(WebSocketServerProtocol):
     janus_backend = JanusBackend()
     connection_handler = None
 
     notification_center = NotificationCenter()
 
     def onConnect(self, request):
         if SYLK_WS_PROTOCOL not in request.protocols:
             log.debug('Connection from {} request: {}'.format(self.peer, request))
             log.info('Rejecting connection from {}, client uses unsupported protocol: {}'.format(self.peer, ','.join(request.protocols)))
             raise ConnectionDeny(406, 'No compatible protocol specified')
         if not self.janus_backend.ready:
             log.warning('Rejecting connection from {}, Janus backend is not connected'.format(self.peer))
             raise ConnectionDeny(503, 'Backend is not connected')
         return SYLK_WS_PROTOCOL
 
     def onOpen(self):
         self.factory.connections.add(self)
         self.connection_handler = ConnectionHandler(self)
         self.connection_handler.start()
         self.connection_handler.log.info('websocket connected from: {address}'.format(address=self.peer))
 
     def onMessage(self, payload, is_binary):
         if is_binary:
             self.connection_handler.log.error('received invalid binary message')
             return
         self.notification_center.post_notification('WebRTCClientTrace', sender=self, data=NotificationData(direction='INCOMING', message=payload, peer=self.peer))
         try:
             data = json.loads(payload)
         except Exception as e:
             self.connection_handler.log.error('could not parse WebSocket payload: {exception!s}'.format(exception=e))
         else:
             self.connection_handler.handle_message(data)
 
     def onClose(self, clean, code, reason):
         if self.connection_handler is None:  # Connection was closed very early before onOpen was even called
             return
         self.connection_handler.log.info('websocket disconnected from {address}'.format(address=self.peer))
         self.factory.connections.discard(self)
         self.connection_handler.stop()
         self.connection_handler = None
 
     def sendMessage(self, payload, *args, **kw):
         self.notification_center.post_notification('WebRTCClientTrace', sender=self, data=NotificationData(direction='OUTGOING', message=payload, peer=self.peer))
         #log.info('Sending %s to web socket %s' % (payload, self.peer));
-        super(SylkWebSocketServerProtocol, self).sendMessage(payload, *args, **kw)
+        super(SylkWebSocketServerProtocol, self).sendMessage(payload.encode(), *args, **kw)
 
     def disconnect(self, code=1000, reason=''):
         self.sendClose(code, reason)