diff --git a/modules/inbound_email/inbound_email.py b/modules/inbound_email/inbound_email.py
index 9f8cafbc26..f6e5ac04d9 100644
--- a/modules/inbound_email/inbound_email.py
+++ b/modules/inbound_email/inbound_email.py
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class Email(ModelSQL, ModelView):
                 if event['event'] == 'inbound':
                     emails.append(cls(
                             inbox=inbox,
-                            data=json.dumps(event),
+                            data=json.dumps(event).encode('utf-8'),
                             data_type=data_type))
         return emails
 
diff --git a/modules/inbound_email/tests/test_module.py b/modules/inbound_email/tests/test_module.py
index 3f1ded5133..56a0f8fa63 100644
--- a/modules/inbound_email/tests/test_module.py
+++ b/modules/inbound_email/tests/test_module.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class InboundEmailTestCase(ModuleTestCase):
         data = json.dumps({
                 'event': 'inbound',
                 'raw_msg': message.as_string(),
-                })
+                }).encode('utf-8')
         email = Email(data=data, data_type='mailchimp')
 
         self.assertDictEqual(email.as_dict(), self.get_message_dict(message))
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class InboundEmailTestCase(ModuleTestCase):
         message = self.get_message()
         data = json.dumps({
                 'raw': message.as_string(),
-                })
+                }).encode('utf-8')
         email = Email(data=data, data_type='mailpace')
 
         self.assertDictEqual(email.as_dict(), self.get_message_dict(message))
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class InboundEmailTestCase(ModuleTestCase):
                         'Name': 'Message-ID',
                         'Value': '12345@example.com',
                         }],
-                })
+                }).encode('utf-8')
         email = Email(data=data, data_type='postmark')
 
         self.assertDictEqual(
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class InboundEmailTestCase(ModuleTestCase):
         message = self.get_message()
         data = json.dumps({
                 'email': message.as_string(),
-                })
+                }).encode('utf-8')
         email = Email(data=data, data_type='sendgrid')
 
         self.assertDictEqual(email.as_dict(), self.get_message_dict(message))