diff --git a/plugins/Alias/test.py b/plugins/Alias/test.py
index c9fc8c12d..a68829980 100644
--- a/plugins/Alias/test.py
+++ b/plugins/Alias/test.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ class AliasTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
     def testAliasHelp(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias add slashdot foo')
         self.assertRegexp('help slashdot', "Alias for .*foo")
+        self.assertNotError('alias add nonascii echo éé')
+        self.assertRegexp('help nonascii', "Alias for .*echo éé")
 
     def testRemove(self):
         self.assertNotError('alias add foo echo bar')
diff --git a/src/utils/str.py b/src/utils/str.py
index bc7e0fdfd..82c4c18f4 100644
--- a/src/utils/str.py
+++ b/src/utils/str.py
@@ -444,10 +444,12 @@ def format(s, *args, **kwargs):
         char = match.group(1)
         if char == 's':
             token = args.pop()
-            if isinstance(token, unicode) or isinstance(token, str):
+            if isinstance(token, str):
                 return token
+            elif sys.version_info[0] < 3 and isinstance(token, unicode):
+                return token.encode('utf8')
             else:
-                return unicode(token)
+                return str(token)
         elif char == 'i':
             # XXX Improve me!
             return str(args.pop())