diff --git a/glanceclient/v1/images.py b/glanceclient/v1/images.py
index 60e7bf05..da84dc85 100644
--- a/glanceclient/v1/images.py
+++ b/glanceclient/v1/images.py
@@ -58,12 +58,14 @@ class ImageManager(base.Manager):
 
     def _image_meta_from_headers(self, headers):
         meta = {'properties': {}}
+        ensure_unicode = utils.ensure_unicode
         for key, value in headers.iteritems():
+            value = ensure_unicode(value, incoming='utf-8')
             if key.startswith('x-image-meta-property-'):
-                _key = key[22:]
+                _key = ensure_unicode(key[22:], incoming='utf-8')
                 meta['properties'][_key] = value
             elif key.startswith('x-image-meta-'):
-                _key = key[13:]
+                _key = ensure_unicode(key[13:], incoming='utf-8')
                 meta[_key] = value
 
         for key in ['is_public', 'protected', 'deleted']:
diff --git a/tests/v1/test_images.py b/tests/v1/test_images.py
index 43291f26..c314cee3 100644
--- a/tests/v1/test_images.py
+++ b/tests/v1/test_images.py
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ class ImageManagerTest(testtools.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(image.is_public, False)
         self.assertEqual(image.protected, False)
         self.assertEqual(image.deleted, False)
+        self.assertEqual(image.properties, {u'arch': u'x86_64'})
 
     def test_data(self):
         data = ''.join([b for b in self.mgr.data('1', do_checksum=False)])