diff --git a/ring_mon/apply-state b/ring_mon/apply-state
index afc3048..096d29d 100755
--- a/ring_mon/apply-state
+++ b/ring_mon/apply-state
@@ -17,15 +17,15 @@ you can just run your favourite inotify-like tool (entr, watchman, you name it)
 time you need it.
 """
 
-import sys
-import os
 import logging
-import time
+import os
 import signal
+import sys
+import time
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
+from multiprocessing import Pipe, Process
 from pathlib import Path
-from subprocess import Popen, check_output, CalledProcessError
-from multiprocessing import Process, Pipe
+from subprocess import CalledProcessError, Popen, check_output
 
 
 def rotate(lst: list, n: int) -> list:
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class LightManager:
         self.stop_pipe_r, self.stop_pipe_w = Pipe(False)
 
     def set_light(self, on: bool):
-        self.log.debug('set %s', on)
+        self.log.debug("set %s", on)
         env = os.environ.copy()
         env["DEVICE_NUMBER"] = str(self.device_number)
 
@@ -87,11 +87,13 @@ class LightManager:
 
     def get_status(self) -> str:
         try:
-            status = check_output([str(self.args.bin_state.resolve()), self.device_name])
+            status = check_output(
+                [str(self.args.bin_state.resolve()), self.device_name]
+            )
         except CalledProcessError:
-            status = 'off'
+            status = "off"
 
-        status = status.lower().strip().decode('ascii', errors='ignore')
+        status = status.lower().strip()
         if status not in self.waveforms:
             return "off"
         return status
@@ -134,7 +136,9 @@ def main():
     p.add_argument("--devices", type=parse_devices, default="1")
     p.add_argument("--bin-state", type=Path, default=(EXE_DIR / "get-status"))
     p.add_argument("--bin-set-light", type=Path, default=(EXE_DIR / "set-light"))
-    p.add_argument("--disable-polling", dest='enable_polling', default=True, action='store_false')
+    p.add_argument(
+        "--disable-polling", dest="enable_polling", default=True, action="store_false"
+    )
     p.add_argument(
         "--log-level",
         choices=["DEBUG", "INFO", "WARNING", "ERROR", "CRITICAL"],