--- dbchecker.py	2018-07-12 08:23:36.000000000 +0000
+++ dbchecker.py	2018-09-19 12:17:07.828022990 +0000
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@
             self.duplicate_link_cache[duplicate_cache_key] = False
 
         for val in obj[forward_attr]:
-            dsdb_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, val.decode('utf8'), forward_syntax)
+            dsdb_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, val, forward_syntax)
 
             # all DNs should have a GUID component
             guid = dsdb_dn.dn.get_extended_component("GUID")
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@
             obj[attrname] = ldb.MessageElement(vals, 0, attrname)
 
         for val in obj[attrname]:
-            dsdb_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, val.decode('utf8'), syntax_oid)
+            dsdb_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, val, syntax_oid)
 
             # all DNs should have a GUID component
             guid = dsdb_dn.dn.get_extended_component("GUID")
@@ -1321,7 +1321,7 @@
             match_count = 0
             if reverse_link_name in res[0]:
                 for v in res[0][reverse_link_name]:
-                    v_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, v.decode('utf8'))
+                    v_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, v)
                     v_guid = v_dn.dn.get_extended_component("GUID")
                     v_blob = v_dn.dn.get_extended_component("RMD_FLAGS")
                     v_rmd_flags = 0
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@
                             continue
             expected_count = 0
             for v in obj[attrname]:
-                v_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, v.decode('utf8'))
+                v_dn = dsdb_Dn(self.samdb, v)
                 v_guid = v_dn.dn.get_extended_component("GUID")
                 v_blob = v_dn.dn.get_extended_component("RMD_FLAGS")
                 v_rmd_flags = 0