diff --git a/manilaclient/base.py b/manilaclient/base.py
index f9856b1e9..cf8ffe8b9 100644
--- a/manilaclient/base.py
+++ b/manilaclient/base.py
@@ -176,9 +176,15 @@ class Manager(utils.HookableMixin):
                 return self.resource_class(self, body)
 
     def _build_query_string(self, search_opts):
-        q_string = parse.urlencode(
-            sorted([(k, v) for (k, v) in search_opts.items() if v]))
-        return "?%s" % q_string if q_string else q_string
+        query_string = ""
+        if search_opts:
+            search_opts = utils.unicode_key_value_to_string(search_opts)
+            params = sorted(
+                [(k, v) for (k, v) in search_opts.items() if v])
+            if params:
+                query_string = "?%s" % parse.urlencode(params)
+
+        return query_string
 
 
 class ManagerWithFind(Manager):
diff --git a/manilaclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py b/manilaclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
index 9b2abc488..19bf97ddf 100644
--- a/manilaclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
+++ b/manilaclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
@@ -2048,6 +2048,22 @@ class ShellTest(test_utils.TestCase):
                 'GET',
                 '/share-groups/detail?description%7E=fake_description')
 
+    def test_share_group_list_filter_by_inexact_unicode_name(self):
+        for separator in self.separators:
+            self.run_command('share-group-list --name~' + separator +
+                             u'ффф')
+            self.assert_called(
+                'GET',
+                '/share-groups/detail?name%7E=%D1%84%D1%84%D1%84')
+
+    def test_share_group_list_filter_by_inexact_unicode_description(self):
+        for separator in self.separators:
+            self.run_command('share-group-list --description~' + separator +
+                             u'ффф')
+            self.assert_called(
+                'GET',
+                '/share-groups/detail?description%7E=%D1%84%D1%84%D1%84')
+
     def test_share_group_show(self):
         self.run_command('share-group-show 1234')
 
diff --git a/manilaclient/v2/shell.py b/manilaclient/v2/shell.py
index b11c6d616..1d45badd6 100644
--- a/manilaclient/v2/shell.py
+++ b/manilaclient/v2/shell.py
@@ -4212,13 +4212,13 @@ def do_share_group_create(cs, args):
 @cliutils.arg(
     '--name',
     metavar='<name>',
-    type=str,
+    type=six.text_type,
     default=None,
     help='Filter results by name.')
 @cliutils.arg(
     '--description',
     metavar='<description>',
-    type=str,
+    type=six.text_type,
     default=None,
     help='Filter results by description. '
          'Available only for microversion >= 2.36.')
@@ -4308,14 +4308,14 @@ def do_share_group_create(cs, args):
 @cliutils.arg(
     '--name~',
     metavar='<name~>',
-    type=str,
+    type=six.text_type,
     default=None,
     help='Filter results matching a share group name pattern. '
          'Available only for microversion >= 2.36.')
 @cliutils.arg(
     '--description~',
     metavar='<description~>',
-    type=str,
+    type=six.text_type,
     default=None,
     help='Filter results matching a share group description pattern. '
          'Available only for microversion >= 2.36.')