diff --git a/heat/engine/parameters.py b/heat/engine/parameters.py
index c20d82444c..944a57c8dc 100644
--- a/heat/engine/parameters.py
+++ b/heat/engine/parameters.py
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@
 import collections
 import itertools
 import json
+import six
 from heat.engine import constraints as constr
 
 from heat.common import exception
+from heat.openstack.common import strutils
 
 
 PARAMETER_KEYS = (
@@ -251,7 +253,7 @@ class Parameter(object):
         if self.hidden():
             return '******'
         else:
-            return str(value)
+            return strutils.safe_encode(six.text_type(value))
 
 
 class NumberParam(Parameter):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_parameters.py b/heat/tests/test_parameters.py
index d91343dc2c..8413fd4e0b 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_parameters.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_parameters.py
@@ -164,6 +164,11 @@ class ParameterTest(testtools.TestCase):
         p = self.new_parameter('p', schema, 'bar')
         self.assertEqual('bar', p.value())
 
+    def test_string_value_unicode(self):
+        schema = {'Type': 'String'}
+        p = self.new_parameter('p', schema, u'test\u2665')
+        self.assertEqual(u'test\u2665', p.value())
+
     def test_string_value_list_bad(self):
         schema = {'Type': 'String',
                   'ConstraintDescription': 'wibble',
@@ -375,13 +380,17 @@ class ParametersTest(testtools.TestCase):
 
     def test_map_str(self):
         template = {'Parameters': {'Foo': {'Type': 'String'},
-                                   'Bar': {'Type': 'Number'}}}
+                                   'Bar': {'Type': 'Number'},
+                                   'Uni': {'Type': 'String'}}}
         stack_name = 'test_params'
         params = self.new_parameters(stack_name, template,
-                                     {'Foo': 'foo', 'Bar': '42'})
+                                     {'Foo': 'foo',
+                                      'Bar': '42',
+                                      'Uni': u'test\u2665'})
 
         expected = {'Foo': 'foo',
                     'Bar': '42',
+                    'Uni': 'test\xe2\x99\xa5',
                     'AWS::Region': 'ap-southeast-1',
                     'AWS::StackId':
                     'arn:openstack:heat:::stacks/{0}/{1}'.format(