diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index aecc93d..9ce10df 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ cmake.source-dir = "."
 
 [project]
 name = "caterpillar"
-version = "2.4.1"
+version = "2.4.2"
 
 description="Library to pack and unpack structurized binary data."
 authors = [
diff --git a/src/caterpillar/__init__.py b/src/caterpillar/__init__.py
index db85a65..186dfce 100644
--- a/src/caterpillar/__init__.py
+++ b/src/caterpillar/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-__version__ = "2.4.1"
+__version__ = "2.4.2"
 __release__ = None
 __author__ = "MatrixEditor"
 
diff --git a/src/caterpillar/fields/common.py b/src/caterpillar/fields/common.py
index 7bce38c..fb64d62 100644
--- a/src/caterpillar/fields/common.py
+++ b/src/caterpillar/fields/common.py
@@ -848,6 +848,7 @@ def unpack_single(self, context: _ContextLike) -> Any:
                 if not value or value[0] == self._raw_pad[0]:
                     break
                 data.extend(value)
+            value = bytes(data)
         else:
             length = self.__size__(context)
             value: bytes = context[CTX_STREAM].read(length)
diff --git a/src/ccaterpillar/pyproject.toml b/src/ccaterpillar/pyproject.toml
index 6d10da6..d39bb5d 100644
--- a/src/ccaterpillar/pyproject.toml
+++ b/src/ccaterpillar/pyproject.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ CP_ENABLE_NATIVE = "1"
 
 [project]
 name = "caterpillar"
-version = "2.4.1"
+version = "2.4.2"
 
 description="Library to pack and unpack structurized binary data."
 authors = [