diff --git a/rowers/views.py b/rowers/views.py
index 6d2da7c3..ef5f6f6e 100644
--- a/rowers/views.py
+++ b/rowers/views.py
@@ -8564,6 +8564,11 @@ def workout_comment_view(request,id=0):
             cd = form.cleaned_data
             comment = cd['comment']
             comment = bleach.clean(comment)
+            if isinstance(comment,unicode):
+                comment = comment.encode('utf8')
+            elif isinstance(comment, str):
+                comment = comment.decode('utf8')
+
             notification = cd['notification']
             c = WorkoutComment(workout=w,user=request.user,comment=comment,
                                notification=notification)