diff --git a/pyric/utils/rfkill.py b/pyric/utils/rfkill.py
index ce0416e..36ae2aa 100644
--- a/pyric/utils/rfkill.py
+++ b/pyric/utils/rfkill.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def rfkill_block(idx):
     try:
         rfke = rfkh.rfkill_event(idx,rfkh.RFKILL_TYPE_ALL,rfkh.RFKILL_OP_CHANGE,1,0)
         if _PY3_: rfke = rfke.decode('ascii')
-        fout = open(dpath, 'w')
+        fout = open(dpath, 'wb')
         fout.write(rfke)
     except struct.error as e:
         raise pyric.error(pyric.EUNDEF,"Error packing rfkill event {0}".format(e))
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def rfkill_unblock(idx):
     fout = None
     try:
         rfke = rfkh.rfkill_event(idx,rfkh.RFKILL_TYPE_ALL,rfkh.RFKILL_OP_CHANGE,0,0)
-        fout = open(dpath, 'w')
+        fout = open(dpath, 'wb')
         fout.write(rfke)
     except struct.error as e:
         raise pyric.error(pyric.EUNDEF,"Error packing rfkill event {0}".format(e))
@@ -231,4 +231,4 @@ def gettype(idx):
     except IOError:
         raise pyric.error(errno.ENODEV,"No device at {0}".format(idx))
     finally:
-        if fin: fin.close()
\ No newline at end of file
+        if fin: fin.close()