diff --git a/databankr.py b/databankr.py
index 892d20d..7a387fd 100755
--- a/databankr.py
+++ b/databankr.py
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ if __name__ == '__main__': # main app start
     else:
       infd = open(args.input_file, mode='rb')
     indata = infd.read()
-    if infd != sys.stdin:
+    if infd == sys.stdin: # perform additional conversion
+      indata = indata.encode('utf-8')
+    else:
       infd.close()
   except:
     print('Error reading the input data!')
@@ -171,10 +173,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__': # main app start
   try:
     if args.output_file == '-':
       outfd = sys.stdout
+      if type(outdata) == type(b''):
+        outdata = outdata.decode('utf-8')
       outfd.write(outdata)
     else:
       outfd = open(args.output_file, mode='wb')
-      if type(outdata) == 'str':
+      if type(outdata) == type(''):
         outdata = outdata.encode('utf-8')
       outfd.write(outdata)
     if outfd != sys.stdout: