diff --git a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
index 987efa3d5..0e1149200 100644
--- a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
+++ b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import botocore.exceptions
 from boto.exception import SQSError
 from boto.sqs.message import RawMessage, Message
 
+import base64
 import requests
 import sure  # noqa
 import time
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ def test_send_message_with_attributes():
     message = queue.new_message(body)
     message_attributes = {
         'test.attribute_name': {'data_type': 'String', 'string_value': 'attribute value'},
-        'test.binary_attribute': {'data_type': 'Binary', 'binary_value': 'binary value'},
+        'test.binary_attribute': {'data_type': 'Binary', 'binary_value': base64.b64encode('binary value')},
         'test.number_attribute': {'data_type': 'Number', 'string_value': 'string value'}
     }
     message.message_attributes = message_attributes