diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index c8f295b8c1..fe977d799b 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -1849,7 +1849,7 @@ class Resource(status.ResourceStatus):
 
         rs = {'action': self.action,
               'status': self.status,
-              'status_reason': str(self.status_reason),
+              'status_reason': six.text_type(self.status_reason),
               'stack_id': self.stack.id,
               'physical_resource_id': self.resource_id,
               'name': self.name,
diff --git a/heat/engine/service_software_config.py b/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
index 44a5c31465..c90f14f58a 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(object):
             'stack_user_project_id': stack_user_project_id,
             'action': action,
             'status': status,
-            'status_reason': str(status_reason)})
+            'status_reason': six.text_type(status_reason)})
         self._push_metadata_software_deployments(
             cnxt, server_id, stack_user_project_id)
         return api.format_software_deployment(sd)
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(object):
         if status:
             update_data['status'] = status
         if status_reason:
-            update_data['status_reason'] = str(status_reason)
+            update_data['status_reason'] = six.text_type(status_reason)
         if updated_at:
             update_data['updated_at'] = timeutils.normalize_time(
                 timeutils.parse_isotime(updated_at))
diff --git a/heat/engine/stack.py b/heat/engine/stack.py
index 3fff176d12..26b8662f77 100644
--- a/heat/engine/stack.py
+++ b/heat/engine/stack.py
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
             stack.update({
                 'action': self.action,
                 'status': self.status,
-                'status_reason': str(self.status_reason)})
+                'status_reason': six.text_type(self.status_reason)})
 
         if only_db:
             stack['parent_resource_name'] = self.parent_resource_name
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
         if stack is not None:
             values = {'action': self.action,
                       'status': self.status,
-                      'status_reason': str(self.status_reason)}
+                      'status_reason': six.text_type(self.status_reason)}
             self._send_notification_and_add_event()
             if self.convergence:
                 # do things differently for convergence
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
         if stack is not None:
             values = {'action': self.action,
                       'status': self.status,
-                      'status_reason': str(self.status_reason)}
+                      'status_reason': six.text_type(self.status_reason)}
             self._send_notification_and_add_event()
             stack.persist_state_and_release_lock(self.context, self.id,
                                                  engine_id, values)