diff --git a/common/djangoapps/track/backends/logger.py b/common/djangoapps/track/backends/logger.py
index fdb7f504ba..3ad9547692 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/track/backends/logger.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/track/backends/logger.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from track.backends import BaseBackend
 from track.utils import DateTimeJSONEncoder
 
 log = logging.getLogger('track.backends.logger')
+application_log = logging.getLogger('track.backends.application_log')  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
 
 
 class LoggerBackend(BaseBackend):
@@ -33,7 +34,13 @@ class LoggerBackend(BaseBackend):
         self.event_logger = logging.getLogger(name)
 
     def send(self, event):
-        event_str = json.dumps(event, cls=DateTimeJSONEncoder)
+        try:
+            event_str = json.dumps(event, cls=DateTimeJSONEncoder)
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            application_log.exception(
+                "UnicodeDecodeError Event_type: %r, Event_source: %r, Page: %r, Referer: %r",
+                event.get('event_type'), event.get('event_source'), event.get('page'), event.get('referer')
+            )
 
         # TODO: remove trucation of the serialized event, either at a
         # higher level during the emittion of the event, or by