--- a/lib/req.py	Wed Jan 16 18:44:03 2008 +0000
+++ b/lib/req.py	Thu Jan 17 01:56:04 2008 +0000
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 
 def get_str (key, default=REQUIRED_PARAM) :
     if key in vars :
-        return vars[key].value
+        return vars[key].value.decode('utf8', 'replace')
     elif default is REQUIRED_PARAM :
         raise ValueError("Required param %s" % key)
     else :