diff --git a/tools/ade b/tools/ade
index bfc486528b8631ed85e2f96562f9faf1d4e8d9d3..f3519e0cdb0fad035c32e29f60fe7e0c99c6c7f5 100755
--- a/tools/ade
+++ b/tools/ade
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ class Simulator:
 
     def _exec(self, *args):
         r = subprocess.run(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
-        return r.stdout.read().decode().strip()
+        return r.stdout.decode().strip()
 
     def install(self, bundle):
         self._exec('ribchesterctl', 'remove', bundle.id)