--- a/test.py	Fri Oct 30 14:57:30 2015 -0700
+++ b/test.py	Fri Oct 30 14:58:58 2015 -0700
@@ -767,8 +767,18 @@
     elapsed_time = time.time() - start_time
 
     retval = proc.returncode
-    stdout_results = stdout_results.decode()
-    stderr_results = stderr_results.decode()
+    try:
+        stdout_results = stdout_results.decode()
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        print("Non-decodable character in stdout output of %s" % cmd)
+        print(stdout_results)
+        retval = 1
+    try:
+        stderr_results = stderr_results.decode()
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        print("Non-decodable character in stderr output of %s" % cmd)
+        print(stderr_results)
+        retval = 1
 
     #
     # valgrind sometimes has its own idea about what kind of memory management