diff --git a/stream/feed.py b/stream/feed.py
index 5a17340..32040e7 100644
--- a/stream/feed.py
+++ b/stream/feed.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def __init__(self, client, feed_slug, user_id, token):
         self.slug = feed_slug
         self.user_id = str(user_id)
         self.id = "%s:%s" % (feed_slug, user_id)
-        self.token = token
+        self.token = token.decode('utf-8') if isinstance(token, bytes) else token
 
         self.feed_url = "feed/%s/" % self.id.replace(":", "/")
         self.enriched_feed_url = "enrich/feed/%s/" % self.id.replace(":", "/")
diff --git a/stream/tests/test_client.py b/stream/tests/test_client.py
index ae69175..bf0db9b 100644
--- a/stream/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/stream/tests/test_client.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import stream
 from stream import serializer
 from stream.exceptions import ApiKeyException, InputException
+from stream.feed import Feed
 
 try:
     from unittest.case import TestCase
@@ -1702,3 +1703,13 @@ def test_follow_stats(self):
         )["results"]
         self.assertEqual(response["following"]["count"], 0)
         self.assertEqual(response["followers"]["count"], 1)
+
+    def test_token_type(self): 
+        """
+            test to check whether token is a byte or string
+        """
+        with_bytes = Feed(client, "user", "1", b"token")
+        self.assertEqual(with_bytes.token, "token")
+
+        with_str = Feed(client, "user", "1", "token")
+        self.assertEqual(with_str.token, "token")