diff --git a/netbox/core/models/data.py b/netbox/core/models/data.py
index a8ac4e8f1..c58ef45f9 100644
--- a/netbox/core/models/data.py
+++ b/netbox/core/models/data.py
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ class DataFile(models.Model):
     @property
     def data_as_string(self):
         try:
-            return self.data.tobytes().decode('utf-8')
+            return bytes(self.data, 'utf-8')
         except UnicodeDecodeError:
             return None