diff --git a/mseedpeek/mseedpeek.py b/mseedpeek/mseedpeek.py
index a67daab4302dce487b1c652493e7f465c849fcca..76b226ffdfdc99e8c1b1267f5d2e7f57bfab009d 100755
--- a/mseedpeek/mseedpeek.py
+++ b/mseedpeek/mseedpeek.py
@@ -933,12 +933,11 @@ class MainWindow:
                 # if verbose == 3:
                 (SeqNum, DHQual, res, Stat, Loc, Chan, Net) = hdrs[0]
                 Rate = str(self.RateDict[n])
-                Stat = Stat.strip()
-                Chan = Chan.strip()
-                Loc = Loc.strip(Loc)
-                Net = Net.strip(Net)
-                key = str(Stat) + ":" + str(Chan) + ":" + \
-                    str(Loc) + ":" + str(Net) + ":" + str(Rate)
+                Stat = Stat.strip().decode()
+                Chan = Chan.strip().decode()
+                Loc = Loc.strip().decode()
+                Net = Net.strip().decode()
+                key = ":".join([Stat, Chan, Loc, Net, Rate])
                 # if key in self.keyList:
                 if key == lastkey:
                     pass