diff -dur -x '*~' Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_control.py Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_control.py
--- Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_control.py	2015-03-12 14:09:14.000000000 +0100
+++ Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_control.py	2016-11-19 14:05:16.290161277 +0100
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@
 
     def loadSettings(self):
         settings = QSettings()
-        self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("Geometry", ""))
+        self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("Geometry", b""))
 
         #showToolbar = settings.value("ShowToolbar", True, type=bool)
         #self.ui.act_settings_show_toolbar.setChecked(showToolbar)
diff -dur -x '*~' Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_database.py Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_database.py
--- Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_database.py	2015-03-12 14:09:14.000000000 +0100
+++ Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_database.py	2016-11-19 14:06:07.430621741 +0100
@@ -1250,8 +1250,8 @@
 
     def loadSettings(self):
         settings = QSettings("falkTX", "CarlaDatabase2")
-        self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("PluginDatabase/Geometry", ""))
-        self.ui.tableWidget.horizontalHeader().restoreState(settings.value("PluginDatabase/TableGeometry%s" % ("_5" if config_UseQt5 else "_4"), ""))
+        self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("PluginDatabase/Geometry", b""))
+        self.ui.tableWidget.horizontalHeader().restoreState(settings.value("PluginDatabase/TableGeometry%s" % ("_5" if config_UseQt5 else "_4"), b""))
         self.ui.ch_effects.setChecked(settings.value("PluginDatabase/ShowEffects", True, type=bool))
         self.ui.ch_instruments.setChecked(settings.value("PluginDatabase/ShowInstruments", True, type=bool))
         self.ui.ch_midi.setChecked(settings.value("PluginDatabase/ShowMIDI", True, type=bool))
diff -dur -x '*~' Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_host.py Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_host.py
--- Carla-1.9.6.orig/source/carla_host.py	2015-03-12 14:09:14.000000000 +0100
+++ Carla-1.9.6/source/carla_host.py	2016-11-19 14:06:19.117392013 +0100
@@ -1271,10 +1271,10 @@
         settings = QSettings()
 
         if firstTime:
-            self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("Geometry", ""))
+            self.restoreGeometry(settings.value("Geometry", b""))
 
             if not self.host.isPlugin:
-                self.ui.panelTime.restoreGeometry(settings.value("TimePanelGeometry", ""))
+                self.ui.panelTime.restoreGeometry(settings.value("TimePanelGeometry", b""))
 
                 showTimePanel = settings.value("ShowTimePanel", True, type=bool)
                 self.ui.act_settings_show_time_panel.setChecked(showTimePanel)
@@ -1791,7 +1791,7 @@
 
         # set our gui as parent for all plugins UIs
         if not self.host.isPlugin:
-            winIdStr = "%x" % self.winId()
+            winIdStr = "%x" % int(self.winId())
             self.host.set_engine_option(ENGINE_OPTION_FRONTEND_WIN_ID, 0, winIdStr)
 
     def hideEvent(self, event):