diff --git a/ietf/doc/tests_ballot.py b/ietf/doc/tests_ballot.py
index dcd383303..646a8edf4 100644
--- a/ietf/doc/tests_ballot.py
+++ b/ietf/doc/tests_ballot.py
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ class BallotWriteupsTests(TestCase):
 class ApproveBallotTests(TestCase):
     @mock.patch('ietf.sync.rfceditor.urlopen', autospec=True)
     def test_approve_ballot(self, mock_urlopen):
-        mock_urlopen.return_value.read = lambda :'OK'
+        mock_urlopen.return_value.read = lambda : b'OK'
         mock_urlopen.return_value.getcode = lambda :200
         #
         ad = Person.objects.get(name="Areað Irector")
diff --git a/ietf/doc/tests_draft.py b/ietf/doc/tests_draft.py
index 2dd037ef0..469cc9661 100644
--- a/ietf/doc/tests_draft.py
+++ b/ietf/doc/tests_draft.py
@@ -1201,7 +1201,7 @@ class SubmitToIesgTests(TestCase):
 class RequestPublicationTests(TestCase):
     @mock.patch('ietf.sync.rfceditor.urlopen', autospec=True)
     def test_request_publication(self, mock_urlopen):
-        mock_urlopen.return_value.read = lambda :'OK'
+        mock_urlopen.return_value.read = lambda : b'OK'
         mock_urlopen.return_value.getcode = lambda :200
         #
         draft = IndividualDraftFactory(stream_id='iab',group__acronym='iab',intended_std_level_id='inf',states=[('draft-stream-iab','approved')])
diff --git a/ietf/sync/rfceditor.py b/ietf/sync/rfceditor.py
index 91ea4a760..645e3d78c 100644
--- a/ietf/sync/rfceditor.py
+++ b/ietf/sync/rfceditor.py
@@ -548,15 +548,15 @@ def post_approved_draft(url, name):
         log("RFC-Editor notification result for draft '%s': %s:'%s'" % (name, status_code, text))
 
         if status_code != 200:
-            raise Exception("Status code is not 200 OK (it's %s)." % status_code)
+            raise RuntimeError("Status code is not 200 OK (it's %s)." % status_code)
 
         if text != "OK":
-            raise Exception("Response is not \"OK\".")
+            raise RuntimeError("Response is not \"OK\".")
 
     except Exception as e:
         # catch everything so we don't leak exceptions, convert them
         # into string instead
-        msg = "Exception on RFC-Editor notification for draft '%s': '%s'" % (name, e)
+        msg = "Exception on RFC-Editor notification for draft '%s': %s: %s" % (name, type(e), str(e))
         log(msg)
         if settings.SERVER_MODE == 'test':
             debug.say(msg)