diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_translation.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_translation.py
index f8eecc70856..0ff497e0274 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_translation.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_translation.py
@@ -336,11 +336,11 @@ class ir_translation(osv.osv):
                            AND name=%s""",
                     (lang or '', types, tools.ustr(name)))
         res = cr.fetchone()
-        trad = res and tools.ustr(res[0]) or u''
+        trad = res and res[0] or u''
         if source and not trad:
             return tools.ustr(source)
         # Remove control characters
-        return filter(lambda c: unicodedata.category(c) != 'Cc', trad)
+        return filter(lambda c: unicodedata.category(c) != 'Cc', tools.ustr(trad))
 
     def create(self, cr, uid, vals, context=None):
         if context is None: