diff --git a/core/views.py b/core/views.py
index fea80d35..9391ad18 100644
--- a/core/views.py
+++ b/core/views.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import mimetypes
 import os
+import uuid as uuid_module
 
 import requests
 from django.contrib.sitemaps.views import index as _sitemap_index_view
@@ -8,7 +9,6 @@ from django.core.cache import cache
 from django.core.exceptions import BadRequest
 from django.http import FileResponse, Http404, JsonResponse
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 from django.utils.http import urlsafe_base64_decode
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django.views.decorators.cache import cache_page
@@ -468,7 +468,10 @@ def download_digital_asset_view(request, *args, **kwargs):
         a JsonResponse with an error message if an error occurs during the process.
     """
     try:
-        uuid = force_str(urlsafe_base64_decode(str(kwargs.get("encoded_uuid"))))
+
+        uuid_bytes = urlsafe_base64_decode(str(kwargs.get("encoded_uuid")))
+        uuid = str(uuid_module.UUID(bytes=uuid_bytes))
+
         download = DigitalAssetDownload.objects.get(order_product__uuid=uuid)
 
         if download.num_downloads >= 1: