diff --git a/tests/test_freesurfer.py b/tests/test_freesurfer.py
index ff7791ae2265e6c0247e2fb4a66aa49a91a15c61..b0f9bb638bc25758fbd46d6e6683e3a4535e876c 100644
--- a/tests/test_freesurfer.py
+++ b/tests/test_freesurfer.py
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ def test_loadVertexData_annot():
         loaded = mesh.loadVertexData(vdfile)
         ergbal, enames = mesh.getVertexDataColourTable(vdfile)
 
+        enames = [n.decode() for n in enames]
+
         assert np.all(np.isclose(loaded, labels.reshape(-1, 1)))
         assert list(enames) == list(names)
         assert np.all(np.isclose(ergbal[:, :4], rgba))