diff --git a/scciclient/irmc/ipmi.py b/scciclient/irmc/ipmi.py
index f7ef852..766ec2a 100755
--- a/scciclient/irmc/ipmi.py
+++ b/scciclient/irmc/ipmi.py
@@ -90,9 +90,10 @@ def get_tpm_status(d_info):
     # 80 28 00 C0 C0: True
     # 80 28 00 -- --: False (other values than 'C0 C0')
 
-    ipmicmd = ipmi_command.Command(bmc=d_info['irmc_address'],
-                                   userid=d_info['irmc_username'],
-                                   password=d_info['irmc_password'])
+    ipmicmd = ipmi_command.Command(
+        bmc=d_info['irmc_address'],
+        userid=d_info['irmc_username'].encode('utf-8'),
+        password=d_info['irmc_password'].encode('utf-8'))
     try:
         response = _send_raw_command(ipmicmd, GET_TPM_STATUS)
         if response['code'] != 0:
@@ -150,9 +151,10 @@ def get_pci_device(d_info, pci_device_ids):
     # data1: 2 octet of VendorID
     # data2: 2 octet of DeviceID
 
-    ipmicmd = ipmi_command.Command(bmc=d_info['irmc_address'],
-                                   userid=d_info['irmc_username'],
-                                   password=d_info['irmc_password'])
+    ipmicmd = ipmi_command.Command(
+        bmc=d_info['irmc_address'],
+        userid=d_info['irmc_username'].encode('utf-8'),
+        password=d_info['irmc_password'].encode('utf-8'))
 
     response = itertools.takewhile(
         lambda y: (y[1]['code'] != 0xC9 and y[1].get('error') is None),