diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/fixtures/test_reply.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/fixtures/test_reply.json
index 3079fce..fd6fc7f 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/fixtures/test_reply.json
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/fixtures/test_reply.json
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {
   "request": {
-    "api_url": "https://api.susi.ai/susi/chat.json?q=hi"
+    "api_url": "https://api.susi.ai/susi/chat.json",
+    "params": {
+      "q": "hi"
+    }
   },
   "response": {
       "query": "hi",
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/susi.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/susi.py
index 03e162b..63c54a8 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/susi.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/susi/susi.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import requests
-import urllib
 from typing import Dict, Any, Tuple, Union
 
 class SusiHandler(object):
@@ -40,8 +39,7 @@ class SusiHandler(object):
         if msg == 'help' or msg == '':
             bot_handler.send_reply(message, self.usage())
             return
-        encoded_msg = urllib.parse.quote_plus(msg.encode('utf8'))
-        reply = requests.get("https://api.susi.ai/susi/chat.json?q=" + encoded_msg)
+        reply = requests.get("https://api.susi.ai/susi/chat.json", params=dict(q=msg))
         try:
             answer = reply.json()['answers'][0]['actions'][0]['expression']
         except Exception: