diff --git a/glanceclient/v1/images.py b/glanceclient/v1/images.py
index da84dc85..152b8c73 100644
--- a/glanceclient/v1/images.py
+++ b/glanceclient/v1/images.py
@@ -77,11 +77,20 @@ class ImageManager(base.Manager):
     def _image_meta_to_headers(self, fields):
         headers = {}
         fields_copy = copy.deepcopy(fields)
-        ensure_unicode = utils.ensure_unicode
+
+        # NOTE(flaper87): Convert to str, headers
+        # that are not instance of basestring. All
+        # headers will be encoded later, before the
+        # request is sent.
+        def to_str(value):
+            if not isinstance(value, basestring):
+                return str(value)
+            return value
+
         for key, value in fields_copy.pop('properties', {}).iteritems():
-            headers['x-image-meta-property-%s' % key] = ensure_unicode(value)
+            headers['x-image-meta-property-%s' % key] = to_str(value)
         for key, value in fields_copy.iteritems():
-            headers['x-image-meta-%s' % key] = ensure_unicode(value)
+            headers['x-image-meta-%s' % key] = to_str(value)
         return headers
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/v1/test_images.py b/tests/v1/test_images.py
index d2ead853..708d3804 100644
--- a/tests/v1/test_images.py
+++ b/tests/v1/test_images.py
@@ -460,17 +460,6 @@ class ImageManagerTest(testtools.TestCase):
         expect = [('PUT', '/v1/images/1', expect_headers, None)]
         self.assertEqual(self.api.calls, expect)
 
-    def test_image_meta_to_headers_encoding(self):
-        # NOTE(flaper87): This doesn't make much sense
-        # _image_meta_to_headers decodes headers that will
-        # then be encoded before sending the request. If
-        # everything works as expected, there shouldn't be
-        # any need to enforce unicode in headers at this step.
-        # Will get rid of that in a separate patch.
-        fields = {"name": "ni\xc3\xb1o"}
-        headers = self.mgr._image_meta_to_headers(fields)
-        self.assertEqual(headers["x-image-meta-name"], u"ni\xf1o")
-
     def test_image_meta_from_headers_encoding(self):
         fields = {"x-image-meta-name": "ni\xc3\xb1o"}
         headers = self.mgr._image_meta_from_headers(fields)