diff --git a/lemur/certificates/service.py b/lemur/certificates/service.py
index 9f249e39..2b8ec48e 100644
--- a/lemur/certificates/service.py
+++ b/lemur/certificates/service.py
@@ -401,6 +401,9 @@ def create_csr(**csr_config):
         encryption_algorithm=serialization.NoEncryption()
     )
 
+    if isinstance(private_key, bytes):
+        private_key = private_key.decode('utf-8')
+
     csr = request.public_bytes(
         encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM
     )
diff --git a/lemur/tests/test_certificates.py b/lemur/tests/test_certificates.py
index f38518c7..48827209 100644
--- a/lemur/tests/test_certificates.py
+++ b/lemur/tests/test_certificates.py
@@ -318,7 +318,6 @@ def test_extended_key_usage_schema():
 def test_create_basic_csr(client):
     from cryptography import x509
     from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend
-    from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
     from lemur.certificates.service import create_csr
     csr_config = dict(
         common_name='example.com',
@@ -332,7 +331,6 @@ def test_create_basic_csr(client):
     )
     csr, pem = create_csr(**csr_config)
 
-    private_key = serialization.load_pem_private_key(pem, password=None, backend=default_backend())
     csr = x509.load_pem_x509_csr(csr, default_backend())
     for name in csr.subject:
         assert name.value in csr_config.values()