diff --git a/screenless/bureau/publicrelations/publicrelations.py b/screenless/bureau/publicrelations/publicrelations.py
index b058620..bee74a4 100644
--- a/screenless/bureau/publicrelations/publicrelations.py
+++ b/screenless/bureau/publicrelations/publicrelations.py
@@ -351,9 +351,9 @@ class PublicRelations(Bureau):
             prn.set(text_type="NORMAL")
 
             # store the last notification id
-            self.last_mast_notif = notifications[0].id
+            self.last_mast_notif = str(notifications[0].id)
             with self.dbenv.begin(db=self.tweetdb, write=True) as txn:
-                txn.put(b"last_mast_notif", self.last_mast_notif)
+                txn.put(b"last_mast_notif", self.last_mast_notif.encode())
         for note in notifications:
             username = note.account.display_name.encode("cp437", "ignore") + \
                        b" (" + note.account.acct.encode("cp437", "ignore") + b")"