diff --git a/pytest/lib/utils.py b/pytest/lib/utils.py
index 4076872d559..7680020865c 100644
--- a/pytest/lib/utils.py
+++ b/pytest/lib/utils.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import time
 import typing
 import requests
+import subprocess
 from prometheus_client.parser import text_string_to_metric_families
 from retrying import retry
 from rc import gcloud
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ def load_test_contract(
     """Loads a WASM file from near-test-contracts package."""
     output = subprocess.check_output(['cargo', 'run', '-p', 'near-test-contracts', filename],
                           cwd=_REPO_DIR)
-    return output.stdout
+    return output
 
 def user_name():
     username = os.getlogin()