diff --git a/pgpainless-core/src/main/java/org/pgpainless/signature/SignatureUtils.java b/pgpainless-core/src/main/java/org/pgpainless/signature/SignatureUtils.java
index a59cefdc..25f9d9f4 100644
--- a/pgpainless-core/src/main/java/org/pgpainless/signature/SignatureUtils.java
+++ b/pgpainless-core/src/main/java/org/pgpainless/signature/SignatureUtils.java
@@ -217,14 +217,28 @@ public final class SignatureUtils {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Parse an ASCII encoded list of OpenPGP signatures into a {@link PGPSignatureList}.
+     * Parse an ASCII encoded list of OpenPGP signatures into a {@link PGPSignatureList}
+     * and return it as a {@link List}.
      *
      * @param encodedSignatures ASCII armored signature list
      * @return signature list
      * @throws IOException if the signatures cannot be read
      */
     public static List<PGPSignature> readSignatures(String encodedSignatures) throws IOException, PGPException {
-        InputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(encodedSignatures.getBytes(Charset.forName("UTF8")));
+        byte[] bytes = encodedSignatures.getBytes(Charset.forName("UTF8"));
+        return readSignatures(bytes);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Read a single, or a list of {@link PGPSignature PGPSignatures} and return them as a {@link List}.
+     *
+     * @param encodedSignatures ASCII armored or binary signatures
+     * @return signatures
+     * @throws IOException if the signatures cannot be read
+     * @throws PGPException in case of an OpenPGP error
+     */
+    public static List<PGPSignature> readSignatures(byte[] encodedSignatures) throws IOException, PGPException {
+        InputStream inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(encodedSignatures);
         return readSignatures(inputStream);
     }
 
diff --git a/pgpainless-core/src/test/java/org/pgpainless/decryption_verification/CleartextSignatureVerificationTest.java b/pgpainless-core/src/test/java/org/pgpainless/decryption_verification/CleartextSignatureVerificationTest.java
index 0ffb47b4..bc362185 100644
--- a/pgpainless-core/src/test/java/org/pgpainless/decryption_verification/CleartextSignatureVerificationTest.java
+++ b/pgpainless-core/src/test/java/org/pgpainless/decryption_verification/CleartextSignatureVerificationTest.java
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ import org.pgpainless.util.TestUtils;
 
 public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
 
-    public static final String MESSAGE_BODY = "Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy\n" +
+    public static final byte[] MESSAGE_BODY = ("Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy\n" +
             "Be heaped like mine, and that thy skill be more\n" +
             "To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath\n" +
             "This neighbor air, and let rich music’s tongue\n" +
             "Unfold the imagined happiness that both\n" +
-            "Receive in either by this dear encounter.";
-    public static final String MESSAGE_SIGNED = "-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----\n" +
+            "Receive in either by this dear encounter.").getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    public static final byte[] MESSAGE_SIGNED = ("-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----\n" +
             "Hash: SHA512\n" +
             "\n" +
             "Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy\n" +
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
             "DFRwAP9/4wMvV3WcX59Clo7mkRce6iwW3VBdiN+yMu3tjmHB2wD/RfE28Q1v4+eo\n" +
             "ySNgbyvqYYsNr0fnBwaG3aaj+u5ExiE=\n" +
             "=Z2SO\n" +
-            "-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----";
-    public static final String SIGNATURE =  "-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----\n" +
+            "-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----").getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+    public static final byte[] SIGNATURE = ("-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----\n" +
             "\n" +
             "iHUEARMKAB0WIQRPZlxNwsRmC8ZCXkFXNuaTGs83DAUCYJ/x5gAKCRBXNuaTGs83\n" +
             "DFRwAP9/4wMvV3WcX59Clo7mkRce6iwW3VBdiN+yMu3tjmHB2wD/RfE28Q1v4+eo\n" +
             "ySNgbyvqYYsNr0fnBwaG3aaj+u5ExiE=\n" +
             "=Z2SO\n" +
-            "-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----";
+            "-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----").getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
 
     @Test
     public void cleartextSignVerification_InMemoryMultiPassStrategy() throws IOException, PGPException {
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
 
         InMemoryMultiPassStrategy multiPassStrategy = MultiPassStrategy.keepMessageInMemory();
         CleartextSignatureProcessor processor = PGPainless.verifyCleartextSignedMessage()
-                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_SIGNED.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)))
+                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_SIGNED))
                 .withStrategy(multiPassStrategy)
                 .verifyWith(signingKeys);
 
         PGPSignature signature = processor.process();
 
         assertEquals(signature.getKeyID(), signingKeys.getPublicKey().getKeyID());
-        assertArrayEquals(MESSAGE_BODY.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8), multiPassStrategy.getBytes());
+        assertArrayEquals(MESSAGE_BODY, multiPassStrategy.getBytes());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
         File file = new File(tempDir, "file");
         MultiPassStrategy multiPassStrategy = MultiPassStrategy.writeMessageToFile(file);
         CleartextSignatureProcessor processor = PGPainless.verifyCleartextSignedMessage()
-                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_SIGNED.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)))
+                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_SIGNED))
                 .withStrategy(multiPassStrategy)
                 .verifyWith(signingKeys);
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
         ByteArrayOutputStream bytes = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
         Streams.pipeAll(fileIn, bytes);
         fileIn.close();
-        assertArrayEquals(MESSAGE_BODY.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8), bytes.toByteArray());
+        assertArrayEquals(MESSAGE_BODY, bytes.toByteArray());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
         PGPSignature signature = SignatureUtils.readSignatures(SIGNATURE).get(0);
         PGPPublicKey signingKey = signingKeys.getPublicKey(signature.getKeyID());
 
-        SignatureVerifier.initializeSignatureAndUpdateWithSignedData(signature, new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_BODY.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)), signingKey);
+        SignatureVerifier.initializeSignatureAndUpdateWithSignedData(signature, new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_BODY), signingKey);
 
         CertificateValidator.validateCertificateAndVerifyInitializedSignature(signature, signingKeys, PGPainless.getPolicy());
     }
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
         // CHECKSTYLE:OFF
         PGPPublicKeyRing keys = TestKeys.getEmilPublicKeyRing();
         System.out.println(ArmorUtils.toAsciiArmoredString(keys));
-        System.out.println(MESSAGE_SIGNED);
-        System.out.println(MESSAGE_BODY);
-        System.out.println(SIGNATURE);
+        System.out.println(new String(MESSAGE_SIGNED));
+        System.out.println(new String(MESSAGE_BODY));
+        System.out.println(new String(SIGNATURE));
         // CHECKSTYLE:ON
     }
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ public class CleartextSignatureVerificationTest {
                 .addVerificationOfDetachedSignature(signature);
 
         DecryptionStream decryptionStream = PGPainless.decryptAndOrVerify()
-                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_BODY.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)))
+                .onInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(MESSAGE_BODY))
                 .withOptions(options);
 
         ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream();