diff --git a/src/authentic2/saml/x509utils.py b/src/authentic2/saml/x509utils.py
index 4526b634f..f3a6bd86f 100644
--- a/src/authentic2/saml/x509utils.py
+++ b/src/authentic2/saml/x509utils.py
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ def _call_openssl(args):
     Return a tuple made of the return code and the stdout output
     '''
     try:
-        process = subprocess.Popen(args=[_openssl] + args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+        process = subprocess.Popen(args=[_openssl] + args,
+                                   stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                   stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+                                   universal_newlines=True)
         output = process.communicate()[0]
         return process.returncode, output
     except OSError: