--- a/hgext/reviewboard/hgrb/proto.py
+++ b/hgext/reviewboard/hgrb/proto.py
@@ -467,17 +467,17 @@ def _processpublishreview(repo, req):
 
     for rrid in req.get('rrids', []):
         try:
             rr = root.get_review_request(review_request_id=rrid)
             draft = rr.get_draft()
             draft.update(public=True)
             res['results'].append({'rrid': rrid, 'success': True})
         except APIError as e:
-            res['results'].append({'rrid': rrid, 'error': str(e)})
+            res['results'].append({'rrid': rrid, 'error': unicode(e)})
 
     return res
 
 
 @wireproto.wireprotocommand('listreviewrepos')
 def listreviewrepos(repo, proto, args=None):
     """List review repositories we can push to.
 

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hgext/reviewboard/tests/test-reviewer-unicode.t
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#require mozreviewdocker
+
+  $ . $TESTDIR/hgext/reviewboard/tests/helpers.sh
+  $ commonenv
+
+Create a bug
+
+  $ bugzilla create-bug TestProduct TestComponent 'First Bug'
+
+Create an initial commit.
+
+  $ cd client
+  $ echo foo > foo
+  $ hg commit -A -m 'root commit'
+  adding foo
+  $ hg phase --public -r .
+
+Adding a reviewer with emoji in name string
+
+  $ exportbzauth admin@example.com password
+  $ bugzilla create-user uni@example.com password 'Emoji here ⌚️ :uni'
+  /Users/zalun/Projects/CONDUIT/vct-pushingerror/version-control-tools/venv/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mach/dispatcher.py:103: UnicodeWarning: Unicode equal comparison failed to convert both arguments to Unicode - interpreting them as being unequal
+    elif '-h' in args or '--help' in args:
+  created user 6
+  $ exportbzauth default@example.com password
+  $ echo foo2 > foo
+  $ hg commit -m 'Bug 1 - awesome stuff; r?uni'
+  $ hg push
+  pushing to ssh://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT6/test-repo
+  (adding commit id to 1 changesets)
+  saved backup bundle to $TESTTMP/client/.hg/strip-backup/9d48a700b5eb-316206f4-addcommitid.hg (glob)
+  searching for changes
+  remote: adding changesets
+  remote: adding manifests
+  remote: adding file changes
+  remote: added 2 changesets with 2 changes to 1 files
+  remote: recorded push in pushlog
+  submitting 1 changesets for review
+  
+  changeset:  1:63b694541f47
+  summary:    Bug 1 - awesome stuff; r?uni
+  review:     http://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT1/r/2 (draft)
+  
+  review id:  bz://1/mynick
+  review url: http://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT1/r/1 (draft)
+  
+  publish these review requests now (Yn)?  y
+  (published review request 1)
+
+Adding a reviewer with emoji in name string who is not accepting reviews
+
+  $ mozreview exec bmoweb /var/lib/bugzilla/bugzilla/scripts/user-prefs.pl uni@example.com set block_reviews on
+  'block_reviews' set to 'on'
+  $ echo foo3 > foo
+  $ hg commit -m 'Bug 1 - awesome stuff again; r?uni'
+  $ hg push
+  pushing to ssh://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT6/test-repo
+  searching for changes
+  remote: adding changesets
+  remote: adding manifests
+  remote: adding file changes
+  remote: added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
+  remote: recorded push in pushlog
+  submitting 2 changesets for review
+  
+  changeset:  1:63b694541f47
+  summary:    Bug 1 - awesome stuff; r?uni
+  review:     http://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT1/r/2
+  
+  changeset:  2:7f8eef10433f
+  summary:    Bug 1 - awesome stuff again; r?uni
+  review:     http://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT1/r/3 (draft)
+  
+  review id:  bz://1/mynick
+  review url: http://$DOCKER_HOSTNAME:$HGPORT1/r/1 (draft)
+  
+  publish these review requests now (Yn)?  y
+  error publishing review request 1: Error publishing: Bugzilla error: Emoji here ?? :uni <uni@example.com> is not currently accepting 'review' requests. (HTTP 500, API Error 225)
+  (review requests not published; visit review url to attempt publishing there)
+