diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_course_info.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_course_info.py
index ccef2c7a1e..bab762367e 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_course_info.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_course_info.py
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
+# coding=utf-8
 """
 Test the course_info xblock
 """
 import mock
 from nose.plugins.attrib import attr
 from pyquery import PyQuery as pq
-from urllib import urlencode
 
 from ccx_keys.locator import CCXLocator
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
+from django.http import QueryDict
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.self_paced.models import SelfPacedConfiguration
@@ -89,7 +90,34 @@ class CourseInfoTestCase(LoginEnrollmentTestCase, SharedModuleStoreTestCase):
         url = reverse('info', args=[unicode(self.course.id)])
         response = self.client.get(url)
         start_date = strftime_localized(self.course.start, 'SHORT_DATE')
-        self.assertRedirects(response, '{0}?{1}'.format(reverse('dashboard'), urlencode({'notlive': start_date})))
+        expected_params = QueryDict(mutable=True)
+        expected_params['notlive'] = start_date
+        expected_url = '{url}?{params}'.format(
+            url=reverse('dashboard'),
+            params=expected_params.urlencode()
+        )
+        self.assertRedirects(response, expected_url)
+
+    @mock.patch.dict(settings.FEATURES, {'DISABLE_START_DATES': False})
+    @mock.patch("courseware.views.views.strftime_localized")
+    def test_non_live_course_other_language(self, mock_strftime_localized):
+        """Ensure that a user accessing a non-live course sees a redirect to
+        the student dashboard, not a 404, even if the localized date is unicode
+        """
+        self.setup_user()
+        self.enroll(self.course)
+        fake_unicode_start_time = u"üñîçø∂é_ßtå®t_tîµé"
+        mock_strftime_localized.return_value = fake_unicode_start_time
+
+        url = reverse('info', args=[unicode(self.course.id)])
+        response = self.client.get(url)
+        expected_params = QueryDict(mutable=True)
+        expected_params['notlive'] = fake_unicode_start_time
+        expected_url = u'{url}?{params}'.format(
+            url=reverse('dashboard'),
+            params=expected_params.urlencode()
+        )
+        self.assertRedirects(response, expected_url)
 
     def test_nonexistent_course(self):
         self.setup_user()
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views/views.py
index 662020978b..7d2c8a0723 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views/views.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.core.context_processors import csrf
 from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.models import Q
-from django.http import Http404, HttpResponse, HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseForbidden
+from django.http import Http404, HttpResponse, HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseForbidden, QueryDict
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.utils.timezone import UTC
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ def course_info(request, course_id):
 
     Assumes the course_id is in a valid format.
     """
-    course_key = SlashSeparatedCourseKey.from_deprecated_string(course_id)
+    course_key = CourseKey.from_string(course_id)
     with modulestore().bulk_operations(course_key):
         course = get_course_by_id(course_key, depth=2)
         access_response = has_access(request.user, 'load', course, course_key)
@@ -283,8 +283,12 @@ def course_info(request, course_id):
             # redirect to the dashboard page.
             if isinstance(access_response, StartDateError):
                 start_date = strftime_localized(course.start, 'SHORT_DATE')
-                params = urllib.urlencode({'notlive': start_date})
-                return redirect('{0}?{1}'.format(reverse('dashboard'), params))
+                params = QueryDict(mutable=True)
+                params['notlive'] = start_date
+                return redirect('{dashboard_url}?{params}'.format(
+                    dashboard_url=reverse('dashboard'),
+                    params=params.urlencode()
+                ))
             # Otherwise, give a 404 to avoid leaking info about access
             # control.
             raise Http404("Course not found.")