diff --git a/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py b/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
index 436102f63fa278a7de81be9a5298ec18d81cf24f..f2a2f3bcf5d08dfa62ea02c781cba037288ec6eb 100644
--- a/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
+++ b/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ class RawInputClient():
         The Packet is right padded with zeros
         The Packet must be 40 Bytes long.
         """
-        tg = self.tag + '            '
+        tg = str(self.tag + '            ').encode()
         tb = struct.pack(TAGSTR, PACKETHEAD, TAG, tg[:12],
                 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0)
         return tb
diff --git a/test/edge_test/RawInputFactory_test.py b/test/edge_test/RawInputClient_test.py
similarity index 75%
rename from test/edge_test/RawInputFactory_test.py
rename to test/edge_test/RawInputClient_test.py
index c78d654eafa3705aa95ea8cf0bb82d3cc0bd79b5..9fd9bd14f76a5300bd3ac648d80de404b7b03552 100644
--- a/test/edge_test/RawInputFactory_test.py
+++ b/test/edge_test/RawInputClient_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Tests for RawInputFactory.py"""
+"""Tests for RawInputClient.py"""
 
 import numpy
 from obspy.core import Stats, Trace, UTCDateTime
@@ -45,3 +45,17 @@ def test_raw_input_client():
     client.send_trace('minute', trace_send)
     # verify data was sent
     assert_equals(len(client.last_send), 1)
+
+
+def test__get_tag():
+    """edge_test.RawInputClient_test.test_raw_input_client()
+    """
+    network = 'NT'
+    station = 'BOU'
+    channel = 'MVH'
+    location = 'R0'
+    client = TestRawInputClient(tag='tag', host='host', port='port',
+            station=station, channel=channel,
+            location=location, network=network)
+    tag_send = client._get_tag()
+    assert_equals(tag_send is not None, True)