diff --git a/smash/web/redcap_connector.py b/smash/web/redcap_connector.py
index 602bf2a12dd6d89dee33bf0caed0666b0f704e7a..ae5a615b2945b7850b4514830a1d2c572bf83ebc 100644
--- a/smash/web/redcap_connector.py
+++ b/smash/web/redcap_connector.py
@@ -53,11 +53,19 @@ class RedcapVisit(object):
 
 
 def different_string(string1, string2):
-    if string1 is None:
-        string1 = ""
-    if string2 is None:
-        string2 = ""
-    return string1.strip() != string2.strip()
+    if type(string1) == bytes:
+        s1 = string1.decode('utf8')
+    else:
+        s1 = string1
+    if type(string2) == bytes:
+        s2 = string1.decode('utf8')
+    else:
+        s2 = string2
+    if s1 is None:
+        s1 = ""
+    if s2 is None:
+        s2 = ""
+    return s1.strip() != s2.strip()
 
 
 def date_equals(date1, date2):
diff --git a/smash/web/tests/functions.py b/smash/web/tests/functions.py
index f283c978566d37d192a95de77b2bfd1ae050c917..459c24795a58388dad0109485e8220db8e1e85fd 100644
--- a/smash/web/tests/functions.py
+++ b/smash/web/tests/functions.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import logging
 import os
 
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.utils.timezone import make_aware
 
 from web.models import Location, AppointmentType, StudySubject, Worker, Visit, Appointment, ConfigurationItem, \
     Language, ContactAttempt, FlyingTeam, Availability, Subject, Study, StudyColumns, StudyNotificationParameters, \
@@ -318,7 +319,7 @@ def create_appointment(visit=None, when=None, length=30):
         length=length,
         location=get_test_location(),
         status=Appointment.APPOINTMENT_STATUS_SCHEDULED,
-        datetime_when=when)
+        datetime_when=make_aware(when))
 
 
 def create_appointment_without_visit(when=None, length=30):
@@ -326,7 +327,7 @@ def create_appointment_without_visit(when=None, length=30):
         length=length,
         location=get_test_location(),
         status=Appointment.APPOINTMENT_STATUS_SCHEDULED,
-        datetime_when=when)
+        datetime_when=make_aware(when))
 
 
 def create_configuration_item():
diff --git a/smash/web/utils.py b/smash/web/utils.py
index eed9dbf7c8e8d9cff72e812877fc892306b8217d..3bc35e318faa5d4aa6e7e578006a8713660fd674 100644
--- a/smash/web/utils.py
+++ b/smash/web/utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ from django.utils import timezone
 import datetime
 from datetime import timedelta
 
+from django.utils.timezone import make_aware
+
 from web.algorithm import VerhoeffAlgorithm, LuhnAlgorithm
 
 def is_valid_social_security_number(number):
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ def get_today_midnight_date():
     today = timezone.now()
     today_midnight = datetime.datetime(
         today.year, today.month, today.day, tzinfo=today.tzinfo)
-    return today_midnight
+    return make_aware(today_midnight)
 
 
 def get_weekdays_in_period(fromdate, todate):