diff --git a/datacite.py b/datacite.py
index 4dd2f47c4..3f5146f56 100644
--- a/datacite.py
+++ b/datacite.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def metadata_post(ctx, payload):
 
     response = requests.post(url,
                              auth=auth,
-                             data=payload,
+                             data=payload.encode(),
                              headers=headers,
                              timeout=30,
                              verify=config.datacite_tls_verify)
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def metadata_put(ctx, doi, payload):
 
     response = requests.put(url,
                             auth=auth,
-                            data=payload,
+                            data=payload.encode(),
                             headers=headers,
                             timeout=30,
                             verify=config.datacite_tls_verify)
diff --git a/publication.py b/publication.py
index 522605497..c30aca478 100644
--- a/publication.py
+++ b/publication.py
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ def set_access_restrictions(ctx, vault_package, publication_state):
     """
     # Embargo handling
     combiJsonPath = publication_state["combiJsonPath"]
-    dictJsonData = jsonutil.read(ctx, combiJsonPath, want_bytes=False)
+    dictJsonData = jsonutil.read(ctx, combiJsonPath)
 
     # Remove empty objects to prevent empty fields on landingpage.
     dictJsonData = misc.remove_empty_objects(dictJsonData)