diff --git a/Xlib/ext/record.py b/Xlib/ext/record.py
index bb53ec19..9708cab8 100644
--- a/Xlib/ext/record.py
+++ b/Xlib/ext/record.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def pack_value(self, val):
         return val, len(val), None
 
     def parse_binary_value(self, data, display, length, format):
-        return data, ''
+        return data, b''
 
 
 class GetVersion(rq.ReplyRequest):
diff --git a/Xlib/protocol/rq.py b/Xlib/protocol/rq.py
index 86cb2def..b93b0f5e 100644
--- a/Xlib/protocol/rq.py
+++ b/Xlib/protocol/rq.py
@@ -1276,7 +1276,7 @@ def parse_binary_value(self, data, display, length, format):
                 v, data = self.string_textitem.parse_binary(data, display)
                 values.append(v)
 
-        return values, ''
+        return values, b''
 
 
 
diff --git a/Xlib/support/unix_connect.py b/Xlib/support/unix_connect.py
index c2261dae..de58cb5b 100644
--- a/Xlib/support/unix_connect.py
+++ b/Xlib/support/unix_connect.py
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ def new_get_auth(sock, dname, protocol, host, dno):
 
 def old_get_auth(sock, dname, host, dno):
     # Find authorization cookie
-    auth_name = auth_data = b''
+    auth_name = ''
+    auth_data = b''
 
     try:
         # We could parse .Xauthority, but xauth is simpler