diff --git a/examples/client.py b/examples/client.py
index 5608883..f04dd3d 100755
--- a/examples/client.py
+++ b/examples/client.py
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ def get_method(index):
     )[index]
 
 
+# Callback for wolfssl/certs/client-keyEnc.pem (yassl123 password)
+# sz is the max size of password allowed
+# rw is type i.e PEM_PASS_READ
+# userdata is a void pointer potentially set by user
+def password_cb(sz, rw, userdata):
+    return "yassl123"
+
+
 def main():
     args = build_arg_parser().parse_args()
 
@@ -110,6 +118,7 @@ def main():
 
     context = wolfssl.SSLContext(get_method(args.v))
 
+    context.set_passwd_cb(password_cb)
     context.load_cert_chain(args.c, args.k)
 
     if args.d:
diff --git a/src/wolfssl/__init__.py b/src/wolfssl/__init__.py
index 27d1f2c..1c0e78d 100644
--- a/src/wolfssl/__init__.py
+++ b/src/wolfssl/__init__.py
@@ -942,6 +942,14 @@ def callback(self):
     def _get_passwd(self, passwd, sz, rw, userdata):
         try:
             result = self._passwd_wrapper(sz, rw, userdata)
+
+            # if the result returned is a string then try to convert it
+            try:
+                if isinstance(result, str):
+                    result = str.encode(result)
+            except Exception as e:
+                pass
+
             if not isinstance(result, bytes):
                 raise ValueError("Problem, expected String, not bytes")
             if len(result) > sz: