diff --git a/bot.php b/bot.php
index d29d8fd..eefaafd 100644
--- a/bot.php
+++ b/bot.php
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 
 // announce self to channel
 $myCode = get_own_code();
-$myCode = (strlen($myCode) == 31) ? short_code($myCode) : $myCode;
+$myCode = (strlen($myCode) == 31) ? "".short_code($myCode) : $myCode;
 if(!isset($myCode) || $myCode == "")
     die("Please contact 0xRoM on discord for help fixing this issue!");
 
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
                         if(!in_array($ex[4], $collected)){ // not already added this bot
 
                             $response = get_code($ex[5]);
-                            $response = (strlen($response) == 31) ? short_code($response) : $response;
+                            $response = (strlen($response) == 31) ? "".short_code($response) : $response;
 
                             if(preg_match("/^[0-9A-Fa-f]{32}/", $response)){ // valid code back
                                 echo "[+] computing for ".$ex[4]."\n";
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
                                 array_push($collected, $ex[4]); // add to replied array
 
                                 $myCode = get_own_code();
-                                $myCode = (strlen($myCode) == 31) ? short_code($myCode) : $myCode;
+                                $myCode = (strlen($myCode) == 31) ? "".short_code($myCode) : $myCode;
 
                                 fputs($socket, "PRIVMSG #theSignal :!req " . $rand . " " . $myCode . "\n");
                                 echo "[+] replied to ".$ex[4]."\n";