diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index 4f5846285..3ad4ee995 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -830,7 +830,8 @@ class NestedCommandsIrcProxy(ReplyIrcProxy):
         # action=True implies noLengthCheck=True and prefixNick=False
         self.noLengthCheck=noLengthCheck or self.noLengthCheck or self.action
         target = self.private and self.to or self.msg.args[0]
-        s = str(s) # Allow non-string esses.
+        if not isinstance(s, basestring): # avoid trying to str() unicode
+            s = str(s) # Allow non-string esses.
         if self.finalEvaled:
             try:
                 if isinstance(self.irc, self.__class__):