diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/class_dashboard/tests/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/class_dashboard/tests/test_views.py
index b46ffbed8c..e9b851de20 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/class_dashboard/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/class_dashboard/tests/test_views.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TestViews(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         has_access.return_value = True
         response = views.all_sequential_open_distrib(self.request, 'test/test/test')
 
-        self.assertEqual(json.dumps(self.simple_data), response.content)
+        self.assertEqual(json.dumps(self.simple_data), response.content.decode('utf-8'))
 
     @patch('class_dashboard.views.has_instructor_access_for_class')
     def test_all_sequential_open_distribution_no_access(self, has_access):
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ class TestViews(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         has_access.return_value = False
         response = views.all_sequential_open_distrib(self.request, 'test/test/test')
 
-        self.assertEqual("{\"error\": \"Access Denied: User does not have access to this course\'s data\"}", response.content)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "{\"error\": \"Access Denied: User does not have access to this course\'s data\"}",
+            response.content.decode('utf-8')
+        )
 
     @patch('class_dashboard.views.has_instructor_access_for_class')
     def test_section_problem_grade_distribution_has_access(self, has_access):
@@ -79,7 +82,7 @@ class TestViews(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         has_access.return_value = True
         response = views.section_problem_grade_distrib(self.request, 'test/test/test', '1')
 
-        self.assertEqual(json.dumps(self.simple_data), response.content)
+        self.assertEqual(json.dumps(self.simple_data), response.content.decode('utf-8'))
 
     @patch('class_dashboard.views.has_instructor_access_for_class')
     def test_section_problem_grade_distribution_no_access(self, has_access):
@@ -89,7 +92,10 @@ class TestViews(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         has_access.return_value = False
         response = views.section_problem_grade_distrib(self.request, 'test/test/test', '1')
 
-        self.assertEqual("{\"error\": \"Access Denied: User does not have access to this course\'s data\"}", response.content)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "{\"error\": \"Access Denied: User does not have access to this course\'s data\"}",
+            response.content.decode('utf-8')
+        )
 
     def test_sending_deprecated_id(self):