diff --git a/bin/boto-rsync b/bin/boto-rsync
index 76278b2..68437e5 100644
--- a/bin/boto-rsync
+++ b/bin/boto-rsync
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def get_key_name(fullpath, prefix):
     key_name = fullpath[len(prefix):]
     l = key_name.split(os.sep)
     key_name = '/'.join(l)
-    return key_name.lstrip('/')
+    return key_name.lstrip('/').decode("utf8")
 
 def signal_handler(signum, frame):
     """Handles signals."""