diff --git a/tools/patman/command.py b/tools/patman/command.py
index e67ac15..bf8ea6c 100644
--- a/tools/patman/command.py
+++ b/tools/patman/command.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 import os
 
 from patman import cros_subprocess
-from patman import tools
 
 """Shell command ease-ups for Python."""
 
@@ -35,9 +34,9 @@
 
     def ToOutput(self, binary):
         if not binary:
-            self.stdout = tools.ToString(self.stdout)
-            self.stderr = tools.ToString(self.stderr)
-            self.combined = tools.ToString(self.combined)
+            self.stdout = self.stdout.decode('utf-8')
+            self.stderr = self.stderr.decode('utf-8')
+            self.combined = self.combined.decode('utf-8')
         return self