diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_handlers.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_handlers.py
index 41d93e5dbc..7770c9d0c0 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_handlers.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/video_module/video_handlers.py
@@ -55,9 +55,7 @@ class VideoStudentViewHandlers(object):
 
         if dispatch == 'save_user_state':
             for key in data:
-                if type(key) == str:
-                    key = unicode(key, "UTF8")
-                if hasattr(self, key.encode('utf8')) and key in accepted_keys:
+                if key in accepted_keys:
                     if key in conversions:
                         value = conversions[key](data[key])
                     else:
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_video_handlers.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_video_handlers.py
index 2e92563674..5c3572417b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_video_handlers.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_video_handlers.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class TestVideo(BaseTestXmodule):
         self.item_descriptor.handle_ajax('save_user_state', {'transcript_language': "uk"})
         self.assertEqual(self.item_descriptor.transcript_language, 'uk')
 
-        response = self.item_descriptor.handle_ajax('save_user_state', {'demoo�': "sample"})
+        response = self.item_descriptor.handle_ajax('save_user_state', {u'demoo�': "sample"})
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(response)['success'], True)