diff --git a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFWriterUnitTest.java b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFWriterUnitTest.java
index d209740b4..fb8ff61bb 100644
--- a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFWriterUnitTest.java
+++ b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFWriterUnitTest.java
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ public class VCFWriterUnitTest extends BaseTest {
         VCFHeader header = createFakeHeader(metaData,additionalColumns);
         VCFWriter writer = new VCFWriter(fakeVCFFile);
         writer.writeHeader(header);
-        writer.add(createVC(header),new Byte("A"));
-        writer.add(createVC(header),new Byte("A"));
+        writer.add(createVC(header),"A".getBytes()[0]);
+        writer.add(createVC(header),"A".getBytes()[0]);
         writer.close();
         VCFCodec reader = new VCFCodec();
         AsciiLineReader lineReader;