diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2ac7d65..7bb0092 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ test-client: test-client-enroll test-client-renew
 
 test-client-enroll:
 	rm -f tls.crt tls-ca.crt tls.key data.json
-	NODEMAN_USERNAME=username NODEMAN_PASSWORD=password poetry run nodeman_client enroll --create
+	NODEMAN_USERNAME=username NODEMAN_PASSWORD=password poetry run nodeman_client --debug enroll --create
 	step crypto jwk public < data.json
 	step certificate inspect tls.crt
 	step certificate inspect tls-ca.crt
 
 test-client-renew:
 	rm -f tls.crt tls-ca.crt tls.key
-	poetry run nodeman_client renew
+	poetry run nodeman_client --debug renew
 	step crypto jwk public < data.json
 	step certificate inspect tls.crt
 	step certificate inspect tls-ca.crt
diff --git a/nodeman/client.py b/nodeman/client.py
index 8473ac0..b12eef0 100644
--- a/nodeman/client.py
+++ b/nodeman/client.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def enroll(name: str, server: str, hmac_key: JWK, data_key: JWK, x509_key: Priva
     jws = JWS(payload=jws_payload)
     jws.add_signature(key=hmac_key, alg=hmac_alg, protected={"alg": hmac_alg})
     jws.add_signature(key=data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    enrollment_request = jws.serialize()
+    enrollment_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     url = urljoin(server, f"/api/v1/node/{name}/enroll")
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def renew(name: str, server: str, data_key: JWK, x509_key: PrivateKey) -> NodeCe
 
     jws = JWS(payload=jws_payload)
     jws.add_signature(key=data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    renewal_request = jws.serialize()
+    renewal_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     url = urljoin(server, f"/api/v1/node/{name}/renew")
     try:
diff --git a/nodeman/nodes.py b/nodeman/nodes.py
index 91c2253..cf413ab 100644
--- a/nodeman/nodes.py
+++ b/nodeman/nodes.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ async def enroll_node(
 
     with tracer.start_as_current_span("verify_jws"):
         jws = JWS()
-        jws.deserialize(json.loads(body.decode()))
+        jws.deserialize(body.decode())
 
         # Verify signature by HMAC key
         try:
@@ -297,8 +297,10 @@ async def renew_node(
 
     with tracer.start_as_current_span("verify_jws"):
         jws = JWS()
-        jws.deserialize(json.loads(body.decode()))
+        jws.deserialize(body.decode())
+
         public_key = JWK(**node.public_key)
+
         # Verify signature by public data key
         try:
             jws.verify(key=public_key)
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index e3aecca..2df25e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def _test_enroll(data_key: JWK, x509_key: PrivateKey, requested_name: str | None
     jws = JWS(payload=json.dumps(payload))
     jws.add_signature(key=hmac_key, alg=hmac_alg, protected={"alg": hmac_alg})
     jws.add_signature(key=data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    enrollment_request = jws.serialize()
+    enrollment_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     node_enroll_url = f"{node_url}/enroll"
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def _test_enroll(data_key: JWK, x509_key: PrivateKey, requested_name: str | None
 
     jws = JWS(payload=json.dumps(payload))
     jws.add_signature(key=rekey(data_key), alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    renew_request = jws.serialize()
+    renew_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     response = client.post(f"{node_url}/renew", json=renew_request)
     assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def _test_enroll(data_key: JWK, x509_key: PrivateKey, requested_name: str | None
 
     jws = JWS(payload=json.dumps(payload))
     jws.add_signature(key=data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    renew_request = jws.serialize()
+    renew_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     response = client.post(f"{node_url}/renew", json=renew_request)
     assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_200_OK
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ def test_enroll_bad_hmac_signature() -> None:
     jws = JWS(payload=json.dumps(payload))
     jws.add_signature(key=hmac_key, alg=hmac_alg, protected={"alg": hmac_alg})
     jws.add_signature(key=data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    enrollment_request = jws.serialize()
+    enrollment_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     url = urljoin(server, f"/api/v1/node/{name}/enroll")
     response = client.post(url, json=enrollment_request)
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ def test_enroll_bad_data_signature() -> None:
     jws = JWS(payload=json.dumps(payload))
     jws.add_signature(key=hmac_key, alg=hmac_alg, protected={"alg": hmac_alg})
     jws.add_signature(key=bad_data_key, alg=data_alg, protected={"alg": data_alg})
-    enrollment_request = jws.serialize()
+    enrollment_request = json.loads(jws.serialize())
 
     url = urljoin(server, f"/api/v1/node/{name}/enroll")
     response = client.post(url, json=enrollment_request)