diff --git a/xpra/client/gtk3/mdns_gui.py b/xpra/client/gtk3/mdns_gui.py
index b788587371..3342dcb4c4 100644
--- a/xpra/client/gtk3/mdns_gui.py
+++ b/xpra/client/gtk3/mdns_gui.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 from xpra.client.gtk3.sessions_gui import SessionsGUI
 from xpra.net.mdns import XPRA_TCP_MDNS_TYPE, XPRA_UDP_MDNS_TYPE, get_listener_class
+from xpra.os_util import bytestostr
 from xpra.util import envbool
 from xpra.log import Logger
 
@@ -63,7 +64,11 @@ def mdns_add(self, interface, protocol, name, stype, domain, host, address, port
         log("mdns_add%s", (interface, protocol, name, stype, domain, host, address, port, text))
         if HIDE_IPV6 and address.find(":")>=0:
             return
-        text = text or {}
+        # text record may be received as byte strings...
+        text_rec = {}
+        if text:
+            for key, value in text.items():
+                text_rec[bytestostr(key)] = bytestostr(value)
         #strip service from hostname:
         #(win32 servers add it? why!?)
         if host:
@@ -71,10 +76,9 @@ def mdns_add(self, interface, protocol, name, stype, domain, host, address, port
                 host = host[:-len(stype)]
             elif stype and domain and host.endswith(stype+"."+domain):
                 host = host[:-len(stype+"."+domain)]
-            if text:
-                mode = text.get("mode")
-                if mode and host.endswith(mode+"."):
-                    host = host[:-len(mode+".")]
+            mode = text.get("mode")
+            if mode and host.endswith(mode+"."):
+                host = host[:-len(mode+".")]
             if host.endswith(".local."):
                 host = host[:-len(".local.")]
         self.records.append((interface, protocol, name, stype, domain, host, address, port, text))