diff --git a/emsdk b/emsdk
index ad2415b..5003ef5 100755
--- a/emsdk
+++ b/emsdk
@@ -956,7 +956,10 @@ def cmake_configure(generator, build_root, src_root, build_type, extra_cmake_arg
 
 def xcode_sdk_version():
   try:
-    return subprocess.check_output(['xcrun', '--show-sdk-version']).strip().split('.')
+    output = subprocess.check_output(['xcrun', '--show-sdk-version'])
+    if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+      output = output.decode('utf8')
+    return output.strip().split('.')
   except:
     return subprocess.checkplatform.mac_ver()[0].split('.')
 
@@ -1018,7 +1021,7 @@ def build_llvm_tool(tool):
 
   # MacOS < 10.13 workaround for LLVM build bug https://github.com/kripken/emscripten/issues/5418:
   # specify HAVE_FUTIMENS=0 in the build if building with target SDK that is older than 10.13.
-  if OSX and (not os.environ.get('LLVM_CMAKE_ARGS') or 'HAVE_FUTIMENS' not in os.environ.get('LLVM_CMAKE_ARGS')) and xcode_sdk_version() < [10, 13]:
+  if OSX and (not os.environ.get('LLVM_CMAKE_ARGS') or 'HAVE_FUTIMENS' not in os.environ.get('LLVM_CMAKE_ARGS')) and xcode_sdk_version() < ['10', '13']:
     print('Passing -DHAVE_FUTIMENS=0 to LLVM CMake configure to workaround https://github.com/kripken/emscripten/issues/5418. Please update to macOS 10.13 or newer')
     args += ['-DHAVE_FUTIMENS=0']