diff --git a/aldryn_people/models.py b/aldryn_people/models.py
index 1e5deda..bb55b85 100644
--- a/aldryn_people/models.py
+++ b/aldryn_people/models.py
@@ -330,7 +330,10 @@ def get_vcard(self, request=None):
             if self.primary_group.website:
                 vcard.add_line('URL', self.primary_group.website)
 
-        return str(vcard)
+        if six.PY2:
+            vcard = unicode(vcard)
+
+        return vcard
 
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
diff --git a/aldryn_people/vcard.py b/aldryn_people/vcard.py
index 6250621..3f0d231 100644
--- a/aldryn_people/vcard.py
+++ b/aldryn_people/vcard.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def add_line(self, key, value, **params):
         else:
             value = ';'.join(self.__escape(x) for x in value)
 
-        line = '{0}:{1}'.format(key_and_params, value)
+        line = u'{0}:{1}'.format(key_and_params, value)
         self.lines.append(line)
 
     def __escape(self, value):