diff --git a/ldapcherry/__init__.py b/ldapcherry/__init__.py
index 77511ba..3235b27 100644
--- a/ldapcherry/__init__.py
+++ b/ldapcherry/__init__.py
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
         key = self.attributes.get_key()
         username = params['attrs'][key]
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        admin = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        admin = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
 
         cherrypy.log.error(
             msg="user '" + username + "' added by '" + admin + "'",
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
             severity=logging.DEBUG
         )
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        username = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        username = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
         badd = self._modify_attrs(
             params,
             self.attributes.get_selfattributes(),
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
             )
 
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        admin = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        admin = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
 
         cherrypy.log.error(
             msg="user '" + username + "' modified by '" + admin + "'",
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
 
     def _deleteuser(self, username):
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        admin = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        admin = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
 
         for b in self.backends:
             self.backends[b].del_user(username)
@@ -886,14 +886,12 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
         self._check_auth(must_admin=False)
         is_admin = self._check_admin()
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        user = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        user = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
         if self.auth_mode == 'none':
             user_attrs = None
         else:
             user_attrs = self._get_user(user)
         attrs_list = self.attributes.get_search_attributes()
-        print attrs_list
-        print user_attrs
         return self.temp['index.tmpl'].render(
             is_admin=is_admin,
             attrs_list=attrs_list,
@@ -1095,7 +1093,7 @@ class LdapCherry(object):
         self._check_auth(must_admin=False)
         is_admin = self._check_admin()
         sess = cherrypy.session
-        user = str(sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None))
+        user = sess.get(SESSION_KEY, None)
         if self.auth_mode == 'none':
             return self.temp['error.tmpl'].render(
                 is_admin=is_admin,
diff --git a/ldapcherry/backend/backendLdap.py b/ldapcherry/backend/backendLdap.py
index 4828361..c85b2ef 100644
--- a/ldapcherry/backend/backendLdap.py
+++ b/ldapcherry/backend/backendLdap.py
@@ -244,10 +244,9 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
 
         username = ldap.filter.escape_filter_chars(username)
         user_filter = self.user_filter_tmpl % {
-            'username': username
+            'username': self._uni(username)
         }
-        user_filter = self._str(user_filter)
-        r = self._search(user_filter, attrs, self.userdn)
+        r = self._search(self._str(user_filter), attrs, self.userdn)
 
         if len(r) == 0:
             return None
@@ -279,11 +278,14 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
     def auth(self, username, password):
         """Authentication of a user"""
 
-        binddn = self._str(self._get_user(username, NO_ATTR))
+        binddn = self._get_user(self._str(username), NO_ATTR)
         if binddn is not None:
             ldap_client = self._connect()
             try:
-                ldap_client.simple_bind_s(binddn, password)
+                ldap_client.simple_bind_s(
+                        self._str(binddn),
+                        self._str(password)
+                        )
             except ldap.INVALID_CREDENTIALS:
                 ldap_client.unbind_s()
                 return False
@@ -327,7 +329,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
         """delete a user"""
         ldap_client = self._bind()
         # recover the user dn
-        dn = self._str(self._get_user(username, NO_ATTR))
+        dn = self._str(self._get_user(self._str(username), NO_ATTR))
         # delete
         if dn is not None:
             ldap_client.delete_s(dn)
@@ -339,7 +341,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
     def set_attrs(self, username, attrs):
         """ Set user attributes"""
         ldap_client = self._bind()
-        tmp = self._get_user(username, ALL_ATTRS)
+        tmp = self._get_user(self._str(username), ALL_ATTRS)
         dn = self._str(tmp[0])
         old_attrs = tmp[1]
         for attr in attrs:
@@ -382,7 +384,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
     def add_to_groups(self, username, groups):
         ldap_client = self._bind()
         # recover dn of the user and his attributes
-        tmp = self._get_user(username, ALL_ATTRS)
+        tmp = self._get_user(self._str(username), ALL_ATTRS)
         dn = tmp[0]
         attrs = tmp[1]
         attrs['dn'] = dn
@@ -435,7 +437,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
         # it follows the same logic than add_to_groups
         # but with MOD_DELETE
         ldap_client = self._bind()
-        tmp = self._get_user(username, ALL_ATTRS)
+        tmp = self._get_user(self._str(username), ALL_ATTRS)
         dn = tmp[0]
         attrs = tmp[1]
         attrs['dn'] = dn
@@ -467,7 +469,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
     def search(self, searchstring):
         """Search users"""
         # escape special char to avoid injection
-        searchstring = ldap.filter.escape_filter_chars(searchstring)
+        searchstring = ldap.filter.escape_filter_chars(self._str(searchstring))
         # fill the search string template
         searchfilter = self.search_filter_tmpl % {
             'searchstring': searchstring
@@ -492,7 +494,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
     def get_user(self, username):
         """Gest a specific user"""
         ret = {}
-        tmp = self._get_user(username, ALL_ATTRS)
+        tmp = self._get_user(self._str(username), ALL_ATTRS)
         if tmp is None:
             raise UserDoesntExist(username, self.backend_name)
         attrs_tmp = tmp[1]
@@ -506,7 +508,7 @@ class Backend(ldapcherry.backend.Backend):
 
     def get_groups(self, username):
         """Get all groups of a user"""
-        username = ldap.filter.escape_filter_chars(username)
+        username = ldap.filter.escape_filter_chars(self._str(username))
         userdn = self._get_user(username, NO_ATTR)
 
         searchfilter = self.group_filter_tmpl % {
diff --git a/tests/test_BackendLdap.py b/tests/test_BackendLdap.py
index 34bd382..318f180 100644
--- a/tests/test_BackendLdap.py
+++ b/tests/test_BackendLdap.py
@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ class TestError(object):
 
     def testAuthSuccess(self):
         inv = Backend(cfg, cherrypy.log, 'ldap', attr, 'uid')
-        ret = inv.auth('jwatson', 'passwordwatson')
+        ret = inv.auth(u'jwatsoné', u'passwordwatsoné')
         assert ret == True
 
     def testAuthFailure(self):
         inv = Backend(cfg, cherrypy.log, 'ldap', attr, 'uid')
-        res = inv.auth('notauser', 'password') or inv.auth('jwatson', 'notapassword')
+        res = inv.auth('notauser', 'password') or inv.auth(u'jwatsoné', 'notapasswordé')
         assert res == False
 
     def testMissingParam(self):
@@ -140,13 +140,13 @@ class TestError(object):
 
     def testGetUser(self):
         inv = Backend(cfg, cherrypy.log, 'ldap', attr, 'uid')
-        ret = inv.get_user('jwatson')
-        expected = {'uid': 'jwatson', 'cn': 'John Watson', 'sn': 'watson'}
+        ret = inv.get_user(u'jwatsoné')
+        expected = {'uid': u'jwatsoné', 'cn': 'John Watson', 'sn': 'watson'}
         assert ret == expected
 
     def testGetGroups(self):
         inv = Backend(cfg, cherrypy.log, 'ldap', attr, 'uid')
-        ret = inv.get_groups('jwatson')
+        ret = inv.get_groups(u'jwatsoné')
         expected = ['cn=itpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org']
         assert ret == expected
 
@@ -156,11 +156,11 @@ class TestError(object):
            'cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org',
            'cn=itpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org',
         ]
-        inv.add_to_groups('jwatson', groups)
-        ret = inv.get_groups('jwatson')
+        inv.add_to_groups(u'jwatsoné', groups)
+        ret = inv.get_groups(u'jwatsoné')
         print ret
-        inv.del_from_groups('jwatson', ['cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org'])
-        inv.del_from_groups('jwatson', ['cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org'])
+        inv.del_from_groups(u'jwatsoné', ['cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org'])
+        inv.del_from_groups(u'jwatsoné', ['cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org'])
         assert ret == ['cn=itpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org', 'cn=hrpeople,ou=Groups,dc=example,dc=org']
 
 
@@ -236,8 +236,8 @@ class TestError(object):
 
     def testGetUser(self):
         inv = Backend(cfg, cherrypy.log, 'ldap', attr, 'uid')
-        ret = inv.get_user('jwatson')
-        expected = {'uid': 'jwatson', 'objectClass': 'inetOrgPerson', 'carLicense': 'HERCAR 125', 'sn': 'watson', 'mail': 'j.watson@example.com', 'homePhone': '555-111-2225', 'cn': 'John Watson', 'userPassword': u'passwordwatson'}
+        ret = inv.get_user(u'jwatsoné')
+        expected = {'uid': u'jwatsoné', 'objectClass': 'inetOrgPerson', 'carLicense': 'HERCAR 125', 'sn': 'watson', 'mail': 'j.watson@example.com', 'homePhone': '555-111-2225', 'cn': 'John Watson', 'userPassword': u'passwordwatsoné'}
         assert ret == expected
 
     def testAddUserMissingMustattribute(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_LdapCherry.py b/tests/test_LdapCherry.py
index a043d9c..85cbe26 100644
--- a/tests/test_LdapCherry.py
+++ b/tests/test_LdapCherry.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ class TestError(object):
         loadconf('./tests/cfg/ldapcherry_test.ini', app)
         app.auth_mode = 'or'
         try:
-            app.login('jwatson', 'passwordwatson')
+            app.login('jwatsoné', 'passwordwatsoné')
         except cherrypy.HTTPRedirect as e:
             expected = 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/'
             assert e[0][0] == expected
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class TestError(object):
         loadconf('./tests/cfg/ldapcherry_test.ini', app)
         app.auth_mode = 'or'
         try:
-            app.login('jwatson', 'wrongPassword')
+            app.login('jwatsoné', 'wrongPasswordé')
         except cherrypy.HTTPRedirect as e:
             expected = 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/signin'
             assert e[0][0] == expected
diff --git a/tests/test_env/etc/ldap/content.ldif b/tests/test_env/etc/ldap/content.ldif
index f20c962..dc166cd 100644
--- a/tests/test_env/etc/ldap/content.ldif
+++ b/tests/test_env/etc/ldap/content.ldif
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ dn: cn=John Watson,ou=people,dc=example,dc=org
 objectclass: inetOrgPerson
 cn: John Watson
 sn: watson
-uid: jwatson
-userpassword: passwordwatson
+uid: jwatsoné
+userpassword: passwordwatsoné
 carlicense: HERCAR 125
 homephone: 555-111-2225
 mail: j.watson@example.com