diff --git a/applications/sink/websocket-sink/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/app/websocket/sink/WebsocketSinkTests.java b/applications/sink/websocket-sink/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/app/websocket/sink/WebsocketSinkTests.java
index 4c8f47f0..58b8da82 100644
--- a/applications/sink/websocket-sink/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/app/websocket/sink/WebsocketSinkTests.java
+++ b/applications/sink/websocket-sink/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/app/websocket/sink/WebsocketSinkTests.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class WebsocketSinkTests {
 		for (int i = 0; i < messageCount; i++) {
 			String message = "message_" + i;
 			messagesToSend.add(message);
-			inputDestination.send(MessageBuilder.withPayload(message.getBytes()).build());
+			inputDestination.send(MessageBuilder.withPayload(message).build());
 		}
 		return messagesToSend;
 	}