diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tasks_helper.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tasks_helper.py
index 54131f22d0..c13d22271f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tasks_helper.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tasks_helper.py
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ def push_grades_to_s3(_xmodule_instance_args, _entry_id, course_id, _task_input,
             # possible for a student to have a 0.0 show up in their row but
             # still have 100% for the course.
             row_percents = [percents.get(label, 0.0) for label in header]
-            rows.append([student.id, student.email, student.username, gradeset['percent']] + row_percents)
+            rows.append([student.id, student.email.encode('utf-8'), student.username, gradeset['percent']] + row_percents)
         else:
             # An empty gradeset means we failed to grade a student.
             num_failed += 1
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_tasks_helper.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_tasks_helper.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..99bc997a18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_tasks_helper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""
+Unit tests for LMS instructor-initiated background tasks helper functions.
+
+Tests that CSV grade report generation works with unicode emails.
+
+"""
+import os
+import shutil
+
+import ddt
+from mock import Mock, patch
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.test.testcases import TestCase
+
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory
+
+from student.tests.factories import CourseEnrollmentFactory, UserFactory
+
+from instructor_task.tasks_helper import push_grades_to_s3
+
+
+TEST_COURSE_ORG = 'edx'
+TEST_COURSE_NAME = 'test_course'
+TEST_COURSE_NUMBER = '1.23x'
+
+
+@ddt.ddt
+class TestInstructorGradeReport(TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests that CSV grade report generation works.
+    """
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.course = CourseFactory.create(org=TEST_COURSE_ORG,
+                                           number=TEST_COURSE_NUMBER,
+                                           display_name=TEST_COURSE_NAME)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        if os.path.exists(settings.GRADES_DOWNLOAD['ROOT_PATH']):
+            shutil.rmtree(settings.GRADES_DOWNLOAD['ROOT_PATH'])
+
+    def create_student(self, username, email):
+        student = UserFactory.create(username=username, email=email)
+        CourseEnrollmentFactory.create(user=student, course_id=self.course.id)
+
+    @ddt.data([u'student@example.com', u'ni\xf1o@example.com'])
+    def test_unicode_emails(self, emails):
+        """
+        Test that students with unicode characters in emails is handled.
+        """
+        for i, email in enumerate(emails):
+            self.create_student('student{0}'.format(i), email)
+
+        self.current_task = Mock()
+        self.current_task.update_state = Mock()
+        with patch('instructor_task.tasks_helper._get_current_task') as mock_current_task:
+            mock_current_task.return_value = self.current_task
+            result = push_grades_to_s3(None, None, self.course.id, None, 'graded')
+        #This assertion simply confirms that the generation completed with no errors
+        self.assertEquals(result['succeeded'], result['attempted'])