diff --git a/gimpIOBase.py b/gimpIOBase.py
index 4f0f980..7c81cdf 100644
--- a/gimpIOBase.py
+++ b/gimpIOBase.py
@@ -413,7 +413,10 @@ def _propertyDecode_(self,propertyType,data):
 		elif propertyType==self.PROP_VECTORS:
 			self._vectorsDecode_(data)
 		elif propertyType==self.PROP_TEXT_LAYER_FLAGS:
-			self.textLayerFlags=int(data)
+			if isinstance(data, bytes):
+				self.textLayerFlags=int.from_bytes(data, byteorder='big')
+			else:
+				self.textLayerFlags=int(data)
 		elif propertyType==self.PROP_OLD_SAMPLE_POINTS:
 			raise Exception("ERR: old sample points structure not supported")
 		elif propertyType==self.PROP_LOCK_CONTENT: