diff --git a/src/message.js b/src/message.js
index 9582dec..56a4324 100644
--- a/src/message.js
+++ b/src/message.js
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ function sign(key, message) {
 
   sig = [i].concat(rBa, sBa)
 
-  return convert.bytesToHex(sig)
+  return sig
 }
 
 function verify(address, sig, message) {
   address = new Address(address)
-  sig = ecdsa.parseSigCompact(convert.hexToBytes(sig))
+  sig = ecdsa.parseSigCompact(sig)
 
   var isCompressed = !!(sig.i & 4)
   var hash = magicHash(message)
diff --git a/test/message.js b/test/message.js
index ef60c9c..81c1bbe 100644
--- a/test/message.js
+++ b/test/message.js
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ describe('Message', function() {
   describe('verify', function(){
     it('works for mainnet address, messaged signed with uncompressed key', function() {
       var addr = '16UwLL9Risc3QfPqBUvKofHmBQ7wMtjvM';
-      var sig = '1bc25ac0fb503abc9bad23f558742740fafaec1f52deaaf106b9759a5ce84c93921c4a669c5ec3dfeb7e2d7d177a2f49db407900874f6de2f701a4c16783776d8d'
+      var sig = convert.hexToBytes('1bc25ac0fb503abc9bad23f558742740fafaec1f52deaaf106b9759a5ce84c93921c4a669c5ec3dfeb7e2d7d177a2f49db407900874f6de2f701a4c16783776d8d')
       assert.ok(Message.verify(addr, sig, msg));
       verifyNegativeCases(addr, sig, msg)
     })
 
     it('works for testnet address, message signed with compressed key', function() {
       var addr = 'mgdnNWji2bXYSi7E9c1DQBSp64kCemaS7V'
-      var sig = '1feece860e952253ddf465cd1c5aea76ab16287aee093be6f67d196c39f5075436f0407a4e50694e6956c06108fab8608debf9554d75e57c110f7c512a6eb15d0a'
+      var sig = convert.hexToBytes('1feece860e952253ddf465cd1c5aea76ab16287aee093be6f67d196c39f5075436f0407a4e50694e6956c06108fab8608debf9554d75e57c110f7c512a6eb15d0a')
 
       assert(Message.verify(addr, sig, msg))
       verifyNegativeCases(addr, sig, msg)