--- a/renpy/gl/glenviron_shader.pyx
+++ b/renpy/gl/glenviron_shader.pyx
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ def check_status(shader, handle, type):
     else:
         glGetProgramiv(handle, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &log_length)
 
-    log = ' ' * log_length
+    log = b' ' * log_length
 
     if shader:
         glGetShaderInfoLog(handle, log_length, &log_length, <char *> log)