diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/filtertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/filtertestcase.py
index 057d1a71..d57766e3 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/filtertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/filtertestcase.py
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ class GetFailures(unittest.TestCase):
 
 	# so that they could be reused by other tests
 	FAILURES_01 = ('193.168.0.128', 3, 1124017199.0,
-				  ['Aug 14 11:59:59 [sshd] error: PAM: Authentication failure for kevin from 193.168.0.128\n']*3)
+				  [u'Aug 14 11:59:59 [sshd] error: PAM: Authentication failure for kevin from 193.168.0.128\n']*3)
 
 	def setUp(self):
 		"""Call before every test case."""
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ class GetFailures(unittest.TestCase):
 
 	def testGetFailures02(self):
 		output = ('141.3.81.106', 4, 1124017139.0,
-				  ['Aug 14 11:%d:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:141.3.81.106 port 51332 ssh2\n'
+				  [u'Aug 14 11:%d:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:141.3.81.106 port 51332 ssh2\n'
 				   % m for m in 53, 54, 57, 58])
 
 		self.filter.addLogPath(GetFailures.FILENAME_02)
@@ -818,11 +818,11 @@ class GetFailures(unittest.TestCase):
 	def testGetFailuresUseDNS(self):
 		# We should still catch failures with usedns = no ;-)
 		output_yes = ('93.184.216.119', 2, 1124017139.0,
-					  ['Aug 14 11:54:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from example.com port 51332 ssh2\n',
-					   'Aug 14 11:58:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:93.184.216.119 port 51332 ssh2\n'])
+					  [u'Aug 14 11:54:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from example.com port 51332 ssh2\n',
+					   u'Aug 14 11:58:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:93.184.216.119 port 51332 ssh2\n'])
 
 		output_no = ('93.184.216.119', 1, 1124017139.0,
-					  ['Aug 14 11:58:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:93.184.216.119 port 51332 ssh2\n'])
+					  [u'Aug 14 11:58:59 i60p295 sshd[12365]: Failed publickey for roehl from ::ffff:93.184.216.119 port 51332 ssh2\n'])
 
 		# Actually no exception would be raised -- it will be just set to 'no'
 		#self.assertRaises(ValueError,