diff --git a/rq/worker.py b/rq/worker.py
index 7de07c3..5afe7fa 100644
--- a/rq/worker.py
+++ b/rq/worker.py
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ class Worker(object):
 
     def get_current_job_id(self, pipeline=None):
         connection = pipeline if pipeline is not None else self.connection
-        return connection.hget(self.key, 'current_job')
+        return as_text(connection.hget(self.key, 'current_job'))
 
     def get_current_job(self):
         """Returns the job id of the currently executing job."""
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index 7319bb6..a7fa320 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from tests.fixtures import say_hello, div_by_zero, create_file, \
         create_file_after_timeout
 from tests.helpers import strip_microseconds
 from rq import Queue, Worker, get_failed_queue
+from rq.compat import as_text
 from rq.job import Job, Status
 
 
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
 
         # TODO: Having to do the manual refresh() here is really ugly!
         res.refresh()
-        self.assertIn('JobTimeoutException', res.exc_info)
+        self.assertIn('JobTimeoutException', as_text(res.exc_info))
 
     def test_worker_sets_result_ttl(self):
         """Ensure that Worker properly sets result_ttl for individual jobs."""
@@ -260,6 +261,6 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
         worker.set_current_job_id(job.id)
         self.assertEqual(
             worker.get_current_job_id(),
-            self.testconn.hget(worker.key, 'current_job')
+            as_text(self.testconn.hget(worker.key, 'current_job'))
         )
         self.assertEqual(worker.get_current_job(), job)