diff --git a/cashu/core/base.py b/cashu/core/base.py
index d54913a..d99449f 100644
--- a/cashu/core/base.py
+++ b/cashu/core/base.py
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ class BlindedMessage(BaseModel):
 
 
 class BlindedSignature(BaseModel):
-    id: str = ""
+    id: Union[str, None] = None
     amount: int
     C_: str
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(cls, d: dict):
         return cls(
-            id=d["id"],
+            id=d.get("id"),
             amount=d["amount"],
             C_=d["C_"],
         )
@@ -268,8 +268,6 @@ class MintKeyset:
     def from_row(cls, row: Row):
         if row is None:
             return cls
-        # fix to convert byte to string, unclear why this is necessary
-        id = row[0].decode("ascii") if type(row[0]) == bytes else row[0]
         return cls(
             id=id,
             derivation_path=row[1],
diff --git a/cashu/core/crypto.py b/cashu/core/crypto.py
index 379d3ed..6cad72b 100644
--- a/cashu/core/crypto.py
+++ b/cashu/core/crypto.py
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ def derive_pubkeys(keys: Dict[int, PrivateKey]):
 def derive_keyset_id(keys: Dict[str, PublicKey]):
     """Deterministic derivation keyset_id from set of public keys."""
     pubkeys_concat = "".join([p.serialize().hex() for _, p in keys.items()])
-    return base64.b64encode(hashlib.sha256((pubkeys_concat).encode("utf-8")).digest())[
-        :12
-    ]
+    return base64.b64encode(
+        hashlib.sha256((pubkeys_concat).encode("utf-8")).digest()
+    ).decode()[:12]
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
index 79a1488..b00c982 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
@@ -108,24 +108,30 @@ class LedgerAPI:
         ), "Ledger not initialized correctly: mint URL not specified yet. "
         # get current keyset
         keyset = await self._get_keys(self.url)
-        logger.debug(f"Current mint keyset: {keyset.id}")
         # get all active keysets
-        keysets = await self._get_keysets(self.url)
-        logger.debug(f"Mint keysets: {keysets}")
+        mint_keysets = []
+        try:
+            keysets_resp = await self._get_keysets(self.url)
+            mint_keysets = keysets_resp["keysets"]
+            # store active keysets
+        except:
+            pass
+        self.keysets = mint_keysets if len(mint_keysets) else [keyset.id]
+
+        # store current keyset
+        assert len(keyset.public_keys) > 0, "did not receive keys from mint."
 
         # check if current keyset is in db
         keyset_local: WalletKeyset = await get_keyset(keyset.id, db=self.db)
         if keyset_local is None:
             await store_keyset(keyset=keyset, db=self.db)
 
-        # store current keyset
-        assert len(keyset.public_keys) > 0, "did not receive keys from mint."
+        logger.debug(f"Mint keysets: {self.keysets}")
+        logger.debug(f"Current mint keyset: {keyset.id}")
+
         self.keys = keyset.public_keys
         self.keyset_id = keyset.id
 
-        # store active keysets
-        self.keysets = keysets["keysets"]
-
     def request_mint(self, amount):
         """Requests a mint from the server and returns Lightning invoice."""
         r = requests.get(self.url + "/mint", params={"amount": amount})