diff --git a/scripts/mk_util.py b/scripts/mk_util.py
index 66ccb7b65..0b924c21f 100644
--- a/scripts/mk_util.py
+++ b/scripts/mk_util.py
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ def check_output(cmd):
     out = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
     if out != None:
         enc = sys.stdout.encoding
-        if enc != None: out.decode(enc).rstrip('\r\n')
-        else: out.rstrip('\r\n')
-    else: ""
+        if enc != None: return out.decode(enc).rstrip('\r\n')
+        else: return out.rstrip('\r\n')
+    else:
+        return ""
 
 def git_hash():
     try:
diff --git a/scripts/update_api.py b/scripts/update_api.py
index 85ee296e3..bb5935a1e 100644
--- a/scripts/update_api.py
+++ b/scripts/update_api.py
@@ -98,9 +98,10 @@ else:
   def _to_pystr(s):
      if s != None:
         enc = sys.stdout.encoding
-        if enc != None: s.decode(enc)
-        else: s
-     else: ""
+        if enc != None: return s.decode(enc)
+        else: return s
+     else:
+        return ""
 
 def init(PATH):
   global _lib