diff --git a/process/checkpasswd.py b/process/checkpasswd.py
index dd4924b32..1e6198600 100755
--- a/process/checkpasswd.py
+++ b/process/checkpasswd.py
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ if len(sys.argv)<4:
 filename=sys.argv[1]
 myfaction=sys.argv[2]
 mypasswd=sys.argv[3]
+quiet=len(sys.argv)<=4
+
+def log(str):
+    if not quiet:
+        print(str)
 
 if mypasswd[0] == '"':
     mypasswd = mypasswd.strip('"')
@@ -16,10 +21,17 @@ if mypasswd[0] == '"':
 pw_data = EPasswd()
 try:
     pw_data.load_database(filename)
+    log("loaded from db " + filename)
 except:
     pw_data.load_file(filename)
+    log("loaded from file " + filename)
 
 if pw_data.fac_exists(myfaction):
     if pw_data.check(myfaction, mypasswd):
+        log("password match: " + myfaction)
         sys.exit(0)
+    log("password mismatch: " + myfaction)
+else:
+    log("faction missing: " + myfaction)
+
 sys.exit(-1)
diff --git a/process/epasswd.py b/process/epasswd.py
index 4cac6e1ce..20109b9ba 100755
--- a/process/epasswd.py
+++ b/process/epasswd.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class EPasswd:
     def check(self, id, passwd):
         pw = self.get_passwd(id)
         if pw[0:4]=='$2a$' or pw[0:4]=='$2y$':
-            return bcrypt.checkpw(passwd, pw)
+            return bcrypt.checkpw(passwd.encode('utf8'), pw.encode('utf8'))
         return pw == passwd
 
     def get_passwd(self, id):