diff --git a/lti_consumer/outcomes.py b/lti_consumer/outcomes.py
index e166eb5d703c9020c57acc90134a090ba5a2ca88..88c804b43ca574d87f500da6671d3ce2c5b388dd 100644
--- a/lti_consumer/outcomes.py
+++ b/lti_consumer/outcomes.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ def parse_grade_xml_body(body):
     """
     lti_spec_namespace = "http://www.imsglobal.org/services/ltiv1p1/xsd/imsoms_v1p0"
     namespaces = {'def': lti_spec_namespace}
+    data = body.strip()
     if isinstance(body, text_type):
         data = body.strip().encode('utf-8')
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 6b8a22fe7bd089674e545544569891b31e7caf99..f623e7ef803f022aa948852868c3c2e5caa92331 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def package_data(pkg, roots):
 
 setup(
     name='lti_consumer-xblock',
-    version='1.2.2',
+    version='1.2.3',
     description='This XBlock implements the consumer side of the LTI specification.',
     packages=[
         'lti_consumer',