diff --git a/src/sagemaker/local/entities.py b/src/sagemaker/local/entities.py
index 408385739d..3b8da1b46b 100644
--- a/src/sagemaker/local/entities.py
+++ b/src/sagemaker/local/entities.py
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ def start(self, input_data, output_data, transform_resources, **kwargs):
         endpoint_url = "http://%s:%d/execution-parameters" % (get_docker_host(), serving_port)
         response, code = _perform_request(endpoint_url)
         if code == 200:
-            execution_parameters = json.loads(response.read())
+            execution_parameters = json.loads(response.data.decode("utf-8"))
             # MaxConcurrentTransforms is ignored because we currently only support 1
             for setting in ("BatchStrategy", "MaxPayloadInMB"):
                 if setting not in kwargs and setting in execution_parameters:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_local_entities.py b/tests/unit/test_local_entities.py
index f7a56959db..6b62cd786b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_local_entities.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_local_entities.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def test_start_local_transform_job(_perform_batch_inference, _perform_request, l
 
     response = Mock()
     _perform_request.return_value = (response, 200)
-    response.read.return_value = '{"BatchStrategy": "SingleRecord"}'
+    response.data = '{"BatchStrategy": "SingleRecord"}'.encode("UTF-8")
     local_transform_job.primary_container["ModelDataUrl"] = "file:///some/model"
     local_transform_job.start(input_data, output_data, transform_resources, Environment={})
 
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ def test_start_local_transform_job_from_remote_docker_host(
     output_data = {}
     transform_resources = {"InstanceType": "local"}
     m_get_docker_host.return_value = "some_host"
-    perform_request_mock = Mock()
-    m_perform_request.return_value = (perform_request_mock, 200)
-    perform_request_mock.read.return_value = '{"BatchStrategy": "SingleRecord"}'
+    response = Mock()
+    m_perform_request.return_value = (response, 200)
+    response.data = '{"BatchStrategy": "SingleRecord"}'.encode("UTF-8")
     local_transform_job.primary_container["ModelDataUrl"] = "file:///some/model"
     local_transform_job.start(input_data, output_data, transform_resources, Environment={})
     endpoints = [