diff --git a/io_scene_x3d/import_x3d.py b/io_scene_x3d/import_x3d.py
index f74eb5855549f9ede7c8dba108b0e4f43ec2be7c..b91341556e0d050b110445a269ca738b73f00f8a 100644
--- a/io_scene_x3d/import_x3d.py
+++ b/io_scene_x3d/import_x3d.py
@@ -1232,6 +1232,8 @@ def gzipOpen(path):
             filehandle.close()
         except:
             pass
+    else:
+        data = data.decode('utf-8', "replace")
 
     return data