diff --git a/morituri/common/program.py b/morituri/common/program.py
index eecf90d..1b7ea61 100644
--- a/morituri/common/program.py
+++ b/morituri/common/program.py
@@ -101,8 +101,9 @@ class Program(log.Loggable):
     def getFastToc(self, runner, toc_pickle, device):
         """
         Retrieve the normal TOC table from a toc pickle or the drive.
+        Also retrieves the cdrdao version
 
-        @rtype: L{table.Table}
+        @rtype: tuple of L{table.Table}, str
         """
         def function(r, t):
             r.run(t)
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ class Program(log.Loggable):
             ptoc.persist(t.table)
         toc = ptoc.object
         assert toc.hasTOC()
-        return toc
+        return (toc, version) 
 
     def getTable(self, runner, cddbdiscid, mbdiscid, device):
         """
@@ -703,7 +704,8 @@ class Program(log.Loggable):
     def writeLog(self, discName, logger):
         logPath = '%s.log' % discName
         handle = open(logPath, 'w')
-        handle.write(logger.log(self.result).encode('utf-8'))
+        log = logger.log(self.result)
+        handle.write(log.encode('utf-8'))
         handle.close()
 
         self.logPath = logPath
diff --git a/morituri/rip/cd.py b/morituri/rip/cd.py
index cf03b46..444ee18 100644
--- a/morituri/rip/cd.py
+++ b/morituri/rip/cd.py
@@ -68,10 +68,8 @@ class _CD(logcommand.LogCommand):
         self.program.loadDevice(self.device)
         self.program.unmountDevice(self.device)
 
-        version = None
-
         # first, read the normal TOC, which is fast
-        self.ittoc = self.program.getFastToc(self.runner,
+        self.ittoc, version = self.program.getFastToc(self.runner,
             self.options.toc_pickle,
             self.device)
 
diff --git a/morituri/test/common.py b/morituri/test/common.py
index d1aa8d7..97e716e 100644
--- a/morituri/test/common.py
+++ b/morituri/test/common.py
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ def _diff(old, new, desc):
 
     raise AssertionError(
         ("\nError while comparing strings:\n"
-         "%s") % (output, ))
+         "%s") % (output.encode('utf-8'), ))
 
 
 def diffStrings(orig, new, desc='input'):
 
+    assert type(orig) == type(new)
+
     def _tolines(s):
         return [line + '\n' for line in s.split('\n')]