diff --git a/kallithea/model/notification.py b/kallithea/model/notification.py
--- a/kallithea/model/notification.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/notification.py
@@ -340,4 +340,4 @@ class EmailNotificationModel(BaseModel):
                    'c': c}
         _kwargs.update(kwargs)
         log.debug('rendering tmpl %s with kwargs %s', base, _kwargs)
-        return email_template.render(**_kwargs)
+        return email_template.render_unicode(**_kwargs)