diff --git a/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp b/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
index 6952f3b327..fcb287c2d6 100644
--- a/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
@@ -725,17 +725,18 @@ void Wallet::handleChallengeOwnershipPacket(QSharedPointer<ReceivedMessage> pack
     QByteArray certID = packet->read(certIDByteArraySize);
     QByteArray encryptedText = packet->read(encryptedTextByteArraySize);
 
-    const auto encryptedTextBuf = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(encryptedText.constData());
-    const unsigned int textLength = (int)strlen((char*)encryptedTextBuf);
-
     RSA* rsa = readKeys(keyFilePath().toStdString().c_str());
 
     if (rsa) {
-        const int decryptionStatus = RSA_private_decrypt(textLength, encryptedTextBuf, decryptedText, rsa, RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
+        const int decryptionStatus = RSA_private_decrypt(encryptedTextByteArraySize,
+            reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(encryptedText.constData()),
+            decryptedText,
+            rsa,
+            RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
 
         long error = ERR_get_error();
         const char* error_str = ERR_error_string(error, NULL);
-        qDebug() << "ZRF HERE\n\nEncrypted Text:" << encryptedTextBuf << "\nEncrypted Text Length:" << textLength << "\nDecrypted Text:" << decryptedText << "\nError:" << error_str;
+        qDebug() << "ZRF HERE\n\nEncrypted Text:" << encryptedText << "\nEncrypted Text ByteArray Size:" << encryptedTextByteArraySize << "\nEncrypted Text Length:" << encryptedText.length() << "\nDecrypted Text:" << decryptedText << "\nError:" << error_str;
 
         RSA_free(rsa);
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index d96cdaaa3e..9a2048211f 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ void EntityTree::startPendingTransferStatusTimer(const QString& certID, const En
     transferStatusRetryTimer->start(90000);
 }
 
-QString EntityTree::computeEncryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString ownerKey) {
+QByteArray EntityTree::computeEncryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString ownerKey) {
     QUuid nonce = QUuid::createUuid();
     const auto text = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(qPrintable(nonce.toString()));
     const unsigned int textLength = nonce.toString().length();
@@ -1182,6 +1182,8 @@ QString EntityTree::computeEncryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString o
         QWriteLocker locker(&_certNonceMapLock);
         _certNonceMap.insert(certID, nonce);
 
+        qDebug() << "ZRF HERE\n\nEncrypted Text:" << encryptedText << "\nEncrypted Text Length:" << encryptedText.length();
+
         return encryptedText;
     } else {
         return "";
@@ -1251,26 +1253,22 @@ void EntityTree::validatePop(const QString& certID, const EntityItemID& entityIt
             } else {
                 // Second, challenge ownership of the PoP cert
                 // 1. Encrypt a nonce with the owner's public key
-                QString encryptedText = computeEncryptedNonce(certID, jsonObject["transfer_recipient_key"].toString());
+                QByteArray encryptedText = computeEncryptedNonce(certID, jsonObject["transfer_recipient_key"].toString());
 
                 if (encryptedText == "") {
                     qCDebug(entities) << "CRITICAL ERROR: Couldn't compute encrypted nonce. Deleting entity...";
                     deleteEntity(entityItemID, true);
-                    QWriteLocker locker(&_recentlyDeletedEntitiesLock);
-                    _recentlyDeletedEntityItemIDs.insert(usecTimestampNow(), entityItemID);
                 } else {
                     // 2. Send the encrypted text to the rezzing avatar's node
                     QByteArray certIDByteArray = certID.toUtf8();
                     int certIDByteArraySize = certIDByteArray.size();
-                    QByteArray encryptedTextByteArray = encryptedText.toUtf8();
-                    int encryptedTextByteArraySize = encryptedTextByteArray.size();
                     auto challengeOwnershipPacket = NLPacket::create(PacketType::ChallengeOwnership,
-                        certIDByteArraySize + encryptedTextByteArraySize + 2 * sizeof(int),
+                        certIDByteArraySize + encryptedText.length() + 2 * sizeof(int),
                         true);
                     challengeOwnershipPacket->writePrimitive(certIDByteArraySize);
-                    challengeOwnershipPacket->writePrimitive(encryptedTextByteArraySize);
+                    challengeOwnershipPacket->writePrimitive(encryptedText.length());
                     challengeOwnershipPacket->write(certIDByteArray);
-                    challengeOwnershipPacket->write(encryptedTextByteArray);
+                    challengeOwnershipPacket->write(encryptedText);
                     nodeList->sendPacket(std::move(challengeOwnershipPacket), *senderNode);
 
                     // 3. Kickoff a 10-second timeout timer that deletes the entity if we don't get an ownership response in time
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
index cffe0f6bb1..00a601d684 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ protected:
     Q_INVOKABLE void startPendingTransferStatusTimer(const QString& certID, const EntityItemID& entityItemID, const SharedNodePointer& senderNode);
 
 private:
-    QString computeEncryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString ownerKey);
+    QByteArray computeEncryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString ownerKey);
     bool verifyDecryptedNonce(const QString& certID, const QString& decryptedNonce);
     void validatePop(const QString& certID, const EntityItemID& entityItemID, const SharedNodePointer& senderNode, bool isRetryingValidation);
 };