diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
index d02045a8be..145e9fbcb4 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ def _get_source_address(course_id, course_title):
     invalid_chars = re.compile(r"[^\w.-]")
     course_num = invalid_chars.sub('_', course_num)
 
-    from_addr = '"{0}" Course Staff <{1}-{2}>'.format(course_title_no_quotes, course_num, settings.BULK_EMAIL_DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL)
+    from_addr = u'"{0}" Course Staff <{1}-{2}>'.format(course_title_no_quotes, course_num, settings.BULK_EMAIL_DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL)
     return from_addr
 
 
@@ -677,5 +677,5 @@ def _statsd_tag(course_title):
     """
     Calculate the tag we will use for DataDog.
     """
-    tag = "course_email:{0}".format(course_title)
+    tag = u"course_email:{0}".format(course_title)
     return tag[:200]
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_course_optout.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_course_optout.py
index 086d51b87a..5cd54686b1 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_course_optout.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_course_optout.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 Unit tests for student optouts from course email
 """
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@ class TestOptoutCourseEmails(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.course = CourseFactory.create()
+        course_title = u"ẗëṡẗ title ｲ乇丂ｲ ﾶ乇丂丂ﾑg乇 ｷo尺 ﾑﾚﾚ тэѕт мэѕѕаБэ"
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(display_name=course_title)
         self.instructor = AdminFactory.create()
         self.student = UserFactory.create()
         CourseEnrollmentFactory.create(user=self.student, course_id=self.course.id)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_email.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_email.py
index d20d532c97..c96727dfcf 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_email.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_email.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ class TestEmailSendFromDashboard(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
     @patch.dict(settings.FEATURES, {'ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_EMAIL': True, 'REQUIRE_COURSE_EMAIL_AUTH': False})
     def setUp(self):
-        self.course = CourseFactory.create()
+        course_title = u"ẗëṡẗ title ｲ乇丂ｲ ﾶ乇丂丂ﾑg乇 ｷo尺 ﾑﾚﾚ тэѕт мэѕѕаБэ"
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(display_name=course_title)
 
         self.instructor = InstructorFactory(course=self.course.location)
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_err_handling.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_err_handling.py
index 9fda6fc46f..f9365c86ef 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_err_handling.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_err_handling.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 Unit tests for handling email sending errors
 """
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ class TestEmailErrors(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.course = CourseFactory.create()
+        course_title = u"ẗëṡẗ title ｲ乇丂ｲ ﾶ乇丂丂ﾑg乇 ｷo尺 ﾑﾚﾚ тэѕт мэѕѕаБэ"
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(display_name=course_title)
         self.instructor = AdminFactory.create()
         self.client.login(username=self.instructor.username, password="test")
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_forms.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_forms.py
index 0b86344379..1e45670cc9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_forms.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tests/test_forms.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 Unit tests for bulk-email-related forms.
 """
@@ -23,8 +24,8 @@ class CourseAuthorizationFormTest(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """Test the CourseAuthorizationAdminForm form for Mongo-backed courses."""
 
     def setUp(self):
-        # Make a mongo course
-        self.course = CourseFactory.create()
+        course_title = u"ẗëṡẗ title ｲ乇丂ｲ ﾶ乇丂丂ﾑg乇 ｷo尺 ﾑﾚﾚ тэѕт мэѕѕаБэ"
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(display_name=course_title)
 
     def tearDown(self):
         """