diff --git a/snippets/base/models.py b/snippets/base/models.py
index 24d1c8dfc..9dd74d627 100644
--- a/snippets/base/models.py
+++ b/snippets/base/models.py
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ def key(self):
         # being sent.
         key_properties = ['{id}-{date}'.format(id=snippet.id, date=snippet.modified.isoformat())
                           for snippet in self.snippets]
+
         key_properties.extend([
             self.client.startpage_version,
             self.client.locale,
@@ -148,8 +149,8 @@ def key(self):
             SNIPPET_FETCH_TEMPLATE_HASH,
         ])
 
-        key_string = u'_'.join(unicode(prop) for prop in key_properties)
-        return hashlib.sha1(key_string).hexdigest()
+        key_string = u'_'.join(key_properties)
+        return hashlib.sha1(key_string.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()
 
     @property
     def cache_key(self):
diff --git a/snippets/base/tests/test_models.py b/snippets/base/tests/test_models.py
index 293a00367..a75c8ef86 100644
--- a/snippets/base/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/snippets/base/tests/test_models.py
@@ -384,6 +384,14 @@ def test_key_snippets(self):
 
         self.assertNotEqual(bundle1.key, bundle2.key)
 
+    def test_key_funny_characters(self):
+        """
+        bundle.key should generate even when client contains strange unicode
+        characters
+        """
+        client = self._client(channel=u'release-cck- \xe2\x80\x9cubuntu\xe2\x80\x9d')
+        SnippetBundle(client).key
+
     def test_key_startpage_version(self):
         """
         bundle.key must be different between bundles if they have