diff --git a/pandora/annotation/models.py b/pandora/annotation/models.py
index 6383c3d7e..55cb04f42 100644
--- a/pandora/annotation/models.py
+++ b/pandora/annotation/models.py
@@ -61,10 +61,9 @@ class Annotation(models.Model):
         set_public_id = not self.id or not self.public_id
         layer = self.get_layer()
         if self.value:
-            self.value = utils.cleanup_value(self.value, self.layer['type'])
+            self.value = utils.cleanup_value(self.value, layer['type'])
             self.findvalue = ox.stripTags(self.value).strip()
-            sortvalue = self.findvalue
-            sortvalue = sort_string(sortvalue)
+            sortvalue = sort_string(self.findvalue)
             if sortvalue:
                 self.sortvalue = sortvalue[:1000]
             else:
diff --git a/pandora/annotation/utils.py b/pandora/annotation/utils.py
index 95328d7a0..b7a3980fa 100644
--- a/pandora/annotation/utils.py
+++ b/pandora/annotation/utils.py
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ def cleanup_value(value, layer_type):
     return value
 
 def sanitize_fragment(html):
-    return html5lib.parseFragment(html).toxml()
+    return html5lib.parseFragment(html).toxml().decode('utf-8')