diff --git a/Control/StoreGateBindings/python/Bindings.py b/Control/StoreGateBindings/python/Bindings.py
index 7143a7b2afc826149054e95d22d1f4e3cd28dbf3..cf25df94f00cd65cff391cfda3dc5d79d2e6f19d 100644
--- a/Control/StoreGateBindings/python/Bindings.py
+++ b/Control/StoreGateBindings/python/Bindings.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2002-2020 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
+# Copyright (C) 2002-2023 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
 
 # @file: StoreGateBindings/python/Bindings.py
 # @author: Wim Lavrijsen <WLavrijsen@lbl.gov>
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def _setup():
     # dict-pythonization of storegate: __getitem__
     def __getitem__ (self, key):
         try:
-            ret = py_sg_getitem(self, str(key).encode())
+            ret = py_sg_getitem(self, key)
         except LookupError as err:
             raise KeyError(str(err))
         if ret and hasattr(ret,'setStore') and hasattr(ret,'hasStore') and not ret.hasStore():