diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index 70bc2be00d..6d68f28610 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -1745,7 +1745,7 @@ class Resource(object):
 
         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 5ea48fb6c8..6e07ffdf0a 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ 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)
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ 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 9a58bcf66c..48fcda3823 100644
--- a/heat/engine/stack.py
+++ b/heat/engine/stack.py
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ 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
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ 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
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ 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)