diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/git_export_utils.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/git_export_utils.py
index ed3922aca8..31739364fd 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/git_export_utils.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/git_export_utils.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def export_to_git(course_id, repo, user='', rdir=None):
         # Get current branch
         cmd = ['git', 'symbolic-ref', '--short', 'HEAD']
         try:
-            branch = cmd_log(cmd, cwd).strip('\n')
+            branch = cmd_log(cmd, cwd).decode('utf-8').strip('\n')
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as ex:
             log.exception(u'Failed to get branch: %r', ex.output)
             raise GitExportError(GitExportError.DETACHED_HEAD)
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def export_to_git(course_id, repo, user='', rdir=None):
     if not branch:
         cmd = ['git', 'symbolic-ref', '--short', 'HEAD']
         try:
-            branch = cmd_log(cmd, os.path.abspath(rdirp)).strip('\n')
+            branch = cmd_log(cmd, os.path.abspath(rdirp)).decode('utf-8').strip('\n')
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as ex:
             log.exception(u'Failed to get branch from freshly cloned repo: %r',
                           ex.output)
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/tests/test_git_export.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/tests/test_git_export.py
index ae21e494c5..3b4fe60ae2 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/tests/test_git_export.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/tests/test_git_export.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class TestGitExport(CourseTestCase):
         )
         cwd = os.path.abspath(git_export_utils.GIT_REPO_EXPORT_DIR / 'test_bare')
         git_log = subprocess.check_output(['git', 'log', '-1',
-                                           '--format=%an|%ae'], cwd=cwd)
+                                           '--format=%an|%ae'], cwd=cwd).decode('utf-8')
         self.assertEqual(expect_string, git_log)
 
         # Make changes to course so there is something to commit
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class TestGitExport(CourseTestCase):
             self.user.email,
         )
         git_log = subprocess.check_output(
-            ['git', 'log', '-1', '--format=%an|%ae'], cwd=cwd)
+            ['git', 'log', '-1', '--format=%an|%ae'], cwd=cwd).decode('utf-8')
         self.assertEqual(expect_string, git_log)
 
     def test_no_change(self):