diff --git a/test/functional/p2p_quorum_data.py b/test/functional/p2p_quorum_data.py
index d14ce4874d..7257007f8a 100755
--- a/test/functional/p2p_quorum_data.py
+++ b/test/functional/p2p_quorum_data.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def get_p2p_id(node, uacomment=None):
             for p2p in node.p2ps:
                 if uacomment is not None and p2p.uacomment != uacomment:
                     continue
-                if p["subver"] == p2p.strSubVer.decode():
+                if p["subver"] == p2p.strSubVer:
                     return p["id"]
         return None
     wait_until_helper(lambda: get_id() is not None, timeout=10)
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py b/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
index 17164eb55a..d4a8eca3c2 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/messages.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import dash_hash
 
 MIN_VERSION_SUPPORTED = 60001
 MY_VERSION = 70231  # NO_LEGACY_ISLOCK_PROTO_VERSION
-MY_SUBVERSION = b"/python-p2p-tester:0.0.3%s/"
+MY_SUBVERSION = "/python-p2p-tester:0.0.3%s/"
 MY_RELAY = 1 # from version 70001 onwards, fRelay should be appended to version messages (BIP37)
 
 MAX_LOCATOR_SZ = 101
@@ -1521,7 +1521,7 @@ class msg_version:
         self.addrTo = CAddress()
         self.addrFrom = CAddress()
         self.nNonce = random.getrandbits(64)
-        self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % b""
+        self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ""
         self.nStartingHeight = -1
         self.nRelay = MY_RELAY
 
@@ -1535,7 +1535,7 @@ class msg_version:
         self.addrFrom = CAddress()
         self.addrFrom.deserialize(f, with_time=False)
         self.nNonce = struct.unpack("<Q", f.read(8))[0]
-        self.strSubVer = deser_string(f)
+        self.strSubVer = deser_string(f).decode('utf-8')
 
         self.nStartingHeight = struct.unpack("<i", f.read(4))[0]
 
@@ -1554,7 +1554,7 @@ class msg_version:
         r += self.addrTo.serialize(with_time=False)
         r += self.addrFrom.serialize(with_time=False)
         r += struct.pack("<Q", self.nNonce)
-        r += ser_string(self.strSubVer)
+        r += ser_string(self.strSubVer.encode('utf-8'))
         r += struct.pack("<i", self.nStartingHeight)
         r += struct.pack("<b", self.nRelay)
         return r
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py b/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
index 4e94149a48..8a93e7b618 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/p2p.py
@@ -186,13 +186,13 @@ class P2PConnection(asyncio.Protocol):
         if net == "devnet":
             devnet_name = "devnet1"  # see initialize_datadir()
             if self.uacomment is None:
-                self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(devnet.devnet-%s)" % devnet_name).encode()
+                self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(devnet.devnet-%s)" % devnet_name)
             else:
-                self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(devnet.devnet-%s,%s)" % (devnet_name, self.uacomment)).encode()
+                self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(devnet.devnet-%s,%s)" % (devnet_name, self.uacomment))
         elif self.uacomment is not None:
-            self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(%s)" % self.uacomment).encode()
+            self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ("(%s)" % self.uacomment)
         else:
-            self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % b""
+            self.strSubVer = MY_SUBVERSION % ""
 
     def peer_connect(self, dstaddr, dstport, *, net, timeout_factor, uacomment=None):
         self.peer_connect_helper(dstaddr, dstport, net, timeout_factor, uacomment)
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index d86205ef28..d092e33304 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ class TestNode():
 
     def num_test_p2p_connections(self):
         """Return number of test framework p2p connections to the node."""
-        return len([peer for peer in self.getpeerinfo() if peer['subver'] == MY_SUBVERSION.decode("utf-8")])
+        return len([peer for peer in self.getpeerinfo() if peer['subver'] == MY_SUBVERSION])
 
     def disconnect_p2ps(self):
         """Close all p2p connections to the node."""
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ class TestNode():
         def check_peers():
             for p in self.getpeerinfo():
                 for p2p in self.p2ps:
-                    if p['subver'] == p2p.strSubVer.decode():
+                    if p['subver'] == p2p.strSubVer:
                         return False
             return True
         wait_until_helper(check_peers, timeout=5)