diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyGlueHelpers.h b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyGlueHelpers.h
index 26cf4d5f..c9fcd27a 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyGlueHelpers.h
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyGlueHelpers.h
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ You can contact Cyan Worlds, Inc. by email legal@cyan.com
 #include <Python.h>
 
 // Useful string functions
-char* PyString_AsStringEx(PyObject*);
-inline bool PyString_CheckEx(PyObject*);
+char* PyString_AsStringEx(PyObject* obj);
+bool PyString_CheckEx(PyObject* obj);
 
 // A set of macros to take at least some of the tediousness out of creating straight python glue code
 
diff --git a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyStatusLogGlue.cpp b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyStatusLogGlue.cpp
index a783048d..eaae3843 100644
--- a/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyStatusLogGlue.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Plasma/FeatureLib/pfPython/pyStatusLogGlue.cpp
@@ -58,21 +58,31 @@ PYTHON_INIT_DEFINITION(ptStatusLog, args, keywords)
 
 PYTHON_METHOD_DEFINITION(ptStatusLog, open, args)
 {
-    char* logName;
+    PyObject* logName;
     unsigned long numLines, flags;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "sll", &logName, &numLines, &flags))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Oll", &logName, &numLines, &flags))
     {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "open expects a string and two unsigned longs");
         PYTHON_RETURN_ERROR;
     }
-    PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->Open(logName, numLines, flags));
+    if (!PyString_CheckEx(logName))
+    {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "open expects a string and two unsigned longs");
+        PYTHON_RETURN_ERROR;
+    }
+    PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->Open(PyString_AsStringEx(logName), numLines, flags));
 }
 
 PYTHON_METHOD_DEFINITION(ptStatusLog, write, args)
 {
-    char* text;
+    PyObject* text;
     PyObject* colorObj = NULL;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|O", &text, &colorObj))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O|O", &text, &colorObj))
+    {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "write expects a string and an optional ptColor");
+        PYTHON_RETURN_ERROR;
+    }
+    if (!PyString_CheckEx(text))
     {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "write expects a string and an optional ptColor");
         PYTHON_RETURN_ERROR;
@@ -85,9 +95,9 @@ PYTHON_METHOD_DEFINITION(ptStatusLog, write, args)
             PYTHON_RETURN_ERROR;
         }
         pyColor* color = pyColor::ConvertFrom(colorObj);
-        PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->WriteColor(text, *color));
+        PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->WriteColor(PyString_AsStringEx(text), *color));
     }
-    PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->Write(text));
+    PYTHON_RETURN_BOOL(self->fThis->Write(PyString_AsStringEx(text)));
 }
 
 PYTHON_BASIC_METHOD_DEFINITION(ptStatusLog, close, Close);