diff --git a/onionr/communicator.py b/onionr/communicator.py
index 79719ceb..214b6a1f 100755
--- a/onionr/communicator.py
+++ b/onionr/communicator.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class OnionrCommunicate:
             if highFailureTimer == highFailureRate:
                 highFailureTimer = 0
                 for i in self.peerData:
-                    if self.peerData[i]['failCount'] == self.highFailureAmount:
+                    if self.peerData[i]['failCount'] >= self.highFailureAmount:
                         self.peerData[i]['failCount'] -= 1
             if pexTimer == pexCount:
                 self.getNewPeers()
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class OnionrCommunicate:
                         blocks += self.performGet('getBlockHashes', i)
                     except TypeError:
                         logger.warn('Failed to get data hash from ' + i)
-                        self.peerData[peer]['failCount'] -= 1
+                        self.peerData[i]['failCount'] -= 1
                 if self._utils.validateHash(currentDB):
                     self._core.setAddressInfo(i, "DBHash", currentDB)
         if len(blocks.strip()) != 0:
diff --git a/onionr/core.py b/onionr/core.py
index cd3e4b6c..289f6c00 100644
--- a/onionr/core.py
+++ b/onionr/core.py
@@ -595,6 +595,11 @@ class Core:
         '''
         retData = ''
         metadata = '-' + header + '-'
+        metadata = metadata.encode()
+        try:
+            data.decode()
+        except AttributeError:
+            data = data.encode()
         if len(data) == 0:
             logger.error('Will not insert empty block')
         else:
diff --git a/onionr/onionr.py b/onionr/onionr.py
index 179a9bbc..7fdc5be8 100755
--- a/onionr/onionr.py
+++ b/onionr/onionr.py
@@ -572,13 +572,13 @@ class Onionr:
             newFile = sys.argv[2]
             logger.info('Attempting to add file...')
             try:
-                with open(newFile, 'r') as new:
+                with open(newFile, 'rb') as new:
                     new = new.read()
             except FileNotFoundError:
                 logger.warn('That file does not exist. Improper path?')
             else:
                 logger.debug(new)
-                self.onionrCore.insertBlock(new, header='bin')
+                logger.info(self.onionrCore.insertBlock(new, header='bin'))
 
 
 Onionr()