diff --git a/emsdk.py b/emsdk.py
index efdb8194f4..d876ad2ea2 100644
--- a/emsdk.py
+++ b/emsdk.py
@@ -2709,7 +2709,7 @@ def expand_sdk_name(name, activating):
       if installed:
         debug_print('activating currently installed SDK; not updating tot version')
         return 'sdk-releases-%s-64bit' % installed
-    return str(find_tot_sdk())
+    return find_tot_sdk()
 
   if '-upstream' in name:
     name = name.replace('-upstream', '')