diff --git a/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/python/HIJetRecUtils.py b/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/python/HIJetRecUtils.py
index 81a1276ab39618a80a51bfcd682d3d0d59670cb0..eab3fe8fff66e07ed305c20c355d452e4f59f8a0 100644
--- a/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/python/HIJetRecUtils.py
+++ b/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/python/HIJetRecUtils.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ from JetRec.JetRecFlags import jetFlags
 def AddToOutputList(tname, objType='xAOD::JetContainer') :
 
     #filter container based on package flags
-    if HIJetFlags.UnsubtractedSuffix() in tname and not HIJetFlags.WriteUnsubtracted() : return
-    if HIJetFlags.SeedSuffix() in tname and not HIJetFlags.WriteSeeds() : return
+    if HIJetFlags.UnsubtractedSuffix() in str(tname) and not HIJetFlags.WriteUnsubtracted() : return
+    if HIJetFlags.SeedSuffix() in str(tname) and not HIJetFlags.WriteSeeds() : return
 
     has_key=False
     for k in HIJetFlags.HIJetOutputList() :
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def MakeModulatorTool(mod_key, **kwargs) :
 
 def MakeSubtractionTool(shapeKey, moment_name='', momentOnly=False, **kwargs) :
     HIJetConstituentSubtractionTool=CompFactory.HIJetConstituentSubtractionTool
-    suffix=shapeKey
+    suffix=shapeKey.toStringProperty()
     if momentOnly : suffix+='_'+moment_name
 
     if 'modulator' in kwargs.keys() : mod_tool=kwargs['modulator']
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def MakeSubtractionTool(shapeKey, moment_name='', momentOnly=False, **kwargs) :
         from HIEventUtils.HIEventUtilsConf import HIEventShapeMapTool
         map_tool=HIEventShapeMapTool()
 
-    subtr=HIJetConstituentSubtractionTool("HICS_"+suffix)
+    subtr=HIJetConstituentSubtractionTool(("HICS_"+suffix))
     subtr.EventShapeKey=shapeKey
     subtr.Modulator=mod_tool
     subtr.MomentName='JetSubtractedScale%sMomentum' % moment_name
@@ -371,7 +371,8 @@ def HITruthParticleCopy() :
 def BuildHarmonicName(shape_key, **kwargs) :
     tname=shape_key
     if 'harmonics' in kwargs.keys() :
-        for n in kwargs['harmonics'] : tname += '_V%d' % n
+        for n in kwargs['harmonics'] :
+            tname = str(tname) + str('_V%d' % n)
     return tname
 
 def GetNullModulator() :
diff --git a/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/share/HIJetRec_jobOptions.py b/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/share/HIJetRec_jobOptions.py
index 6b3eceb986b555e628ea75c62dd81db92ce6e2e3..16b212838a3b966e2be1413e349df7433e9187e5 100644
--- a/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/share/HIJetRec_jobOptions.py
+++ b/Reconstruction/HeavyIonRec/HIJetRec/share/HIJetRec_jobOptions.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ unsubtr_suffix=HIJetFlags.UnsubtractedSuffix()
 for k in jtm.jetrecs :
     if unsubtr_suffix in k.name() :
         in_name=k.OutputContainer
-        out_name=in_name.replace("_%s" % unsubtr_suffix,"")
+        out_name=in_name.toStringProperty().replace("_%s" % unsubtr_suffix,"")
         #>slight tweak in case R=1.0 jets are requestd, add some substructure tools
         modifiers=GetHIModifierList(out_name,hi_tools)
         if '10HIJets' in k.name() :