diff --git a/onionr/communicator.py b/onionr/communicator.py
index 8f5c7e36..13f95341 100755
--- a/onionr/communicator.py
+++ b/onionr/communicator.py
@@ -277,6 +277,10 @@ class OnionrCommunicate:
                             pass
                         else:
                             creator = self._utils.getPeerByHashId(blockMetadata['id'])
+                            try:
+                                creator = creator.decode()
+                            except AttributeError:
+                                pass
                             if self._core._crypto.edVerify(blockContent.split(b'}')[1], creator, blockMetadata['sig'], encodedData=True):
                                 self._core.updateBlockInfo(i, 'sig', 'true')
                             else:
diff --git a/onionr/onionrutils.py b/onionr/onionrutils.py
index 4d2d0ebd..13a915e8 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrutils.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrutils.py
@@ -336,7 +336,8 @@ class OnionrUtils:
                         metadata = {}
                     try:
                         sig = json.loads(data[0].strip() + '}')['sig']
-                        signer = self._core._utils.getPeerByHashId(metadata['id'])
+                        sigID = json.loads(data[0].strip() + '}')['id']
+                        signer = self._core._utils.getPeerByHashId(sigID)
                         logger.debug('signer ' + signer)
                         logger.debug('signature ' + metadata['sig'])
                     except KeyError: