diff --git a/etc/otp.dc b/etc/otp.dc
index 2b04b00..e899b42 100755
--- a/etc/otp.dc
+++ b/etc/otp.dc
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ dclass CallbackObject {
 struct PotentialAvatar {
   uint32 avNum;
   string avName;
-  string avDNA;
+  blob avDNA;
   uint8 avPosition;
   uint8 nameState;
 };
diff --git a/toontown/toon/ToonDNA.py b/toontown/toon/ToonDNA.py
index a22a307..4507efc 100644
--- a/toontown/toon/ToonDNA.py
+++ b/toontown/toon/ToonDNA.py
@@ -2519,10 +2519,7 @@ class ToonDNA(AvatarDNA.AvatarDNA):
         return True
 
     def makeFromNetString(self, string):
-        if type(string) == bytes:
-            dg = PyDatagram(string)
-        else:
-            dg = PyDatagram(string.encode('utf-8'))
+        dg = PyDatagram(string)
         dgi = PyDatagramIterator(dg)
         self.type = dgi.getFixedString(1)
         if self.type == 't':