diff --git a/gameview.py b/gameview.py
index d98c937..224b36f 100644
--- a/gameview.py
+++ b/gameview.py
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ class AOCharMovie(QtGui.QLabel):
         
         self.scaling = scaling
         
-        p_char = p_char.lower().decode('utf-8')
+        p_char = p_char.lower()
         p_emote = p_emote.lower()
 
         original_path = self.test_path([AOpath+"characters/"+p_char+"/"+emote_prefix+p_emote+".gif", AOpath+"characters/"+p_char+"/"+emote_prefix+p_emote+".gif"])
@@ -2019,7 +2019,7 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         msg += str(self.mychatcolor)+"#"
         
         if "cccc_ic_support" in self.features:
-            showname = self.showname
+            showname = self.showname.decode('utf-8')
             if self.showname == "" and not self.charshowname == "":
                 showname = self.charshowname
             msg += showname+"#" # custom showname
@@ -2162,18 +2162,22 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
                 if self.additivebtn.isChecked():
                     self.icchatinput.insert(" ")
         
-        f_char = self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME].decode("utf-8")
+        self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME] = self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME].decode("utf-8")
+        self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME] = self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME].decode('utf-8')
+        
+        f_char = self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME]
         evidence = int(self.m_chatmessage[EVIDENCE])-1
         
         t = time.localtime()
         logcharname = f_char
         #TODO: UnicodeWarning: Unicode unequal comparison failed to convert both arguments to Unicode - interpreting them as being unequal
-        #if f_char.lower() != self.charlist[f_char_id][0].lower():
-        #    logcharname = self.charlist[f_char_id][0] + ' (' + f_char.decode("utf-8") + ')'
+        if f_char.lower() != self.charlist[f_char_id][0].lower():
+            logcharname = self.charlist[f_char_id][0] + ' (' + f_char.decode("utf-8") + ')'
+        
         
         if self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME] and self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME].lower() != f_char.lower():
             try:
-                logcharname += " ("+self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME].decode('utf-8')+")"
+                logcharname += " ("+self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME]+")"
             except:
                 logcharname += " (???)"
         
@@ -2306,9 +2310,9 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         self.effectview.stop()
 
         if not self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME]:
-            self.name.setText(self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME].decode("utf-8"))
+            self.name.setText(self.m_chatmessage[CHARNAME])
         else:
-            self.name.setText(self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME].decode("utf-8"))
+            self.name.setText(self.m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME])
 
         self.chatbox.hide()