diff --git a/common/djangoapps/user_api/api/profile.py b/common/djangoapps/user_api/api/profile.py
index 4b18b6c1e6..35356b6256 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/user_api/api/profile.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/user_api/api/profile.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def profile_info(username):
         "year_of_birth": profile.year_of_birth,
         "goals": profile.goals,
         "city": profile.city,
-        "country": profile.country,
+        "country": unicode(profile.country),
     }
 
     return profile_dict
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_profile_api.py b/common/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_profile_api.py
index 823985588c..5f78c0a832 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_profile_api.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_profile_api.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ class ProfileApiTest(TestCase):
             'username': self.USERNAME,
             'email': self.EMAIL,
             'full_name': u'',
+            'goals': None,
+            'level_of_education': None,
+            'mailing_address': None,
+            'year_of_birth': None,
+            'country': '',
+            'city': None,
         })
 
     def test_update_full_name(self):