diff --git a/hblink.py b/hblink.py
index 9d50213..5adf53a 100755
--- a/hblink.py
+++ b/hblink.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class OPENBRIDGE(DatagramProtocol):
         # Keep This Line Commented Unless HEAVILY Debugging!
         #logger.debug('(%s) RX packet from %s -- %s', self._system, _sockaddr, ahex(_packet))
 
-        _hops = None
+        _hops = bytes(0)
         
         if _packet[:3] == DMR:    # DMRData -- encapsulated DMR data frame
             if _packet[:4] == DMRD: