diff --git a/plugins/edsy.py b/plugins/edsy.py
index 3fda1635..a9c13d64 100644
--- a/plugins/edsy.py
+++ b/plugins/edsy.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ def shipyard_url(loadout, is_beta):
     if not string:
         return False
 
-    out = io.StringIO()
+    out = io.BytesIO()
     with gzip.GzipFile(fileobj=out, mode='w') as f:
         f.write(string)
 
-    return (is_beta and 'http://edsy.org/beta/#/I=' or 'http://edsy.org/#/I=') + base64.urlsafe_b64encode(out.getvalue()).replace('=', '%3D')
+    return (is_beta and 'http://edsy.org/beta/#/I=' or 'http://edsy.org/#/I=') + base64.urlsafe_b64encode(out.getvalue()).decode().replace('=', '%3D')