diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
index 8e6dce1b..de242812 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
@@ -40,25 +40,30 @@ async def run_cmd(*args, ec: ExecContext|None=None, verbose: bool|None=None, **k
         ec = Local(verbose_default=verbose)
     return await ec.run(verbose=verbose, *args, **kwargs)
 
-async def run_curl(args: list[str], parse_json: bool=True, wd=None, throw=None, verbose=None, cmd_input=None, ec: ExecContext|None=None) -> dict|str: # export
+async def run_curl(args: list[str], parse_json: bool=False, wd=None, throw=None, verbose=None, cmd_input=None, ec: ExecContext|None=None, decode=False) -> dict|str: # export
     if verbose is None:
         verbose = False if ec is None else ec.verbose_default
     cmd = ['curl']
     if not verbose:
         cmd.append('-s')
     cmd.extend(args)
-    ret, stderr, status  = await run_cmd(cmd, wd=wd, throw=throw, verbose=verbose, cmd_input=cmd_input, ec=ec).decode()
     if parse_json:
+        decode = True
+    output = await run_cmd(cmd, wd=wd, throw=throw, verbose=verbose, cmd_input=cmd_input, ec=ec)
+    stdout, stderr, status = output.decode() if decode else output
+    if not parse_json:
+        ret = stdout
+    else:
         try:
-            ret = json.loads(ret)
+            ret = json.loads(stdout)
         except Exception as e:
             size = 'unknown number of'
             try:
-                size = len(ret)
+                size = len(stdout)
             except:
                 pass
             log(ERR, f'Failed to parse {size} bytes output of command '
-                  + f'>{pretty_cmd(cmd, wd)}< ({str(e)}): "{ret}"', file=sys.stderr)
+                  + f'>{pretty_cmd(cmd, wd)}< ({str(e)}): "{stdout}"', file=sys.stderr)
             raise
     return ret, stderr, status