diff --git a/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/utils.py b/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/utils.py
index 5f788f3..e3eb4bb 100644
--- a/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/utils.py
+++ b/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/utils.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def parse_tsv(line):
         line = line.decode()
     if line and line[-1] == '\n':
         line = line[:-1]
-    return [unescape(value) for value in line.split(b'\t')]
+    return [unescape(value) for value in line.split(str('\t'))]
 
 
 def parse_array(array_string):