diff --git a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
index ad65318..be62b88 100644
--- a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ def open_dms_element(DMS dms, bytes path,
     if not path:
         return (dms,dms)
     
+    # TODO SHOULD READ AND RETURN PREFIX TO NEW TAXO WITHOUT CREATING ANYTHING
     # The URI targets a taxonomy
     # dms:dmspath/taxonomy/taxoname[/taxid]
     if path_parts[0]==b"taxonomy":
@@ -282,20 +283,20 @@ def open_uri(uri,
             raise MalformedURIException('Malformed noquality argument in URI')
       
         if b"qualityformat" in qualifiers:
-            if qualifiers[b"qualityformat"][0]=="sanger":
+            if qualifiers[b"qualityformat"][0]==b"sanger":
                 offset=33
-            elif qualifiers[b"qualityformat"][0]=="solexa":
+            elif qualifiers[b"qualityformat"][0]==b"solexa":
                 offset=64
         else:
             try:
-                if config["obi"]["qualityformat"][0]=="sanger":
+                if config["obi"]["qualityformat"]==b"sanger":
                     offset=33
-                elif config["obi"]["qualityformat"][0]=="solexa":
+                elif config["obi"]["qualityformat"]==b"solexa":
                     offset=64
                 #offset=config["obi"]["offset"]   # TODO discuss
             except KeyError:
                 offset=33
-            
+        
         if b"header" in qualifiers:
             try:
                 header=eval(qualifiers[b"header"][0])