diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_video.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_video.py
index 12c4042c87..42328114ca 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_video.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_video.py
@@ -234,6 +234,18 @@ class TestCreateYoutubeString(VideoDescriptorTestBase):
         self.assertEqual(create_youtube_string(self.descriptor), expected)
 
 
+class TestCreateYouTubeUrl(VideoDescriptorTestBase):
+    """
+    Tests for helper method `create_youtube_url`.
+    """
+    def test_create_youtube_url_unicode(self):
+        """
+        Test that passing unicode to `create_youtube_url` doesn't throw
+        an error.
+        """
+        self.descriptor.create_youtube_url(u"üñîçø∂é")
+
+
 @ddt.ddt
 class VideoDescriptorImportTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     """
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_module.py
index c4143506c1..780ce6dce5 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_module.py
@@ -619,9 +619,9 @@ class VideoDescriptor(VideoFields, VideoTranscriptsMixin, VideoStudioViewHandler
             A full youtube url to the video whose ID is passed in
         """
         if youtube_id:
-            return 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={0}'.format(youtube_id)
+            return u'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={0}'.format(youtube_id)
         else:
-            return ''
+            return u''
 
     def get_context(self):
         """