diff --git a/django_inlines/inlines.py b/django_inlines/inlines.py
index 24dd13e..a5a1d98 100644
--- a/django_inlines/inlines.py
+++ b/django_inlines/inlines.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ def render(matchobj):
                 except KeyError:
                     raise InlineNotRegisteredError('"%s" was not found as a registered inline' % name)
                 inline = cls(value, context=context, template_dir=template_dir, **inline_kwargs)
-                return str(inline.render())
+                return unicode(inline.render())
             # Silence any InlineUnrenderableErrors unless INLINE_DEBUG is True
             except InlineUnrenderableError:
                 debug = getattr(settings, "INLINE_DEBUG", False)