diff --git a/ipalib/parameters.py b/ipalib/parameters.py
index feccd7eaa..5c386c324 100644
--- a/ipalib/parameters.py
+++ b/ipalib/parameters.py
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ class Int(Number):
         """
         if type(value) in (int, long):
             return value
-        if type(value) is unicode:
+        if type(value) in (str, unicode):
             # permit floating point strings
             if value.find(u'.') >= 0:
                 try:
@@ -1247,6 +1247,14 @@ class Str(Data):
         """
         if type(value) is self.type:
             return value
+        if type(value) is str:
+            try:
+                return value.decode('utf-8')
+            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                raise ConversionError(
+                    name=self.name, index=index,
+                    error=ugettext(self.scalar_error)
+                )
         if type(value) in (int, float):
             return self.type(value)
         if type(value) in (tuple, list):