diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 8c6dde4..f4be1fc 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Lib/
 * right after importing _ldap there is a call into libldap to initialize it
 * method .decodeControlValue() of SSSResponseControl and VLVResponseControl
   does not set class attribute result_code anymore
+* always use bytes() for UUID() constructor in ldap.syncrepl
 
 Tests/
 * scripts do not directly call SlapdTestCase.setUpClass() anymore
diff --git a/Lib/ldap/syncrepl.py b/Lib/ldap/syncrepl.py
index 94a7217..93a3a2a 100644
--- a/Lib/ldap/syncrepl.py
+++ b/Lib/ldap/syncrepl.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class SyncStateControl(ResponseControl):
     def decodeControlValue(self, encodedControlValue):
         d = decoder.decode(encodedControlValue, asn1Spec = syncStateValue())
         state = d[0].getComponentByName('state')
-        uuid = UUID(bytes=d[0].getComponentByName('entryUUID'))
+        uuid = UUID(bytes=bytes(d[0].getComponentByName('entryUUID')))
         cookie = d[0].getComponentByName('cookie')
         if cookie.hasValue():
             self.cookie = str(self.cookie)
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def __init__(self, encodedMessage):
                     uuids = []
                     ids = comp.getComponentByName('syncUUIDs')
                     for i in range(len(ids)):
-                        uuid = UUID(bytes=str(ids.getComponentByPosition(i)))
+                        uuid = UUID(bytes=bytes(ids.getComponentByPosition(i)))
                         uuids.append(str(uuid))
                     val['syncUUIDs'] = uuids
                     val['refreshDeletes'] = bool(comp.getComponentByName('refreshDeletes'))