diff --git a/lti_consumer/lti_xblock.py b/lti_consumer/lti_xblock.py
index 08789041..51021775 100644
--- a/lti_consumer/lti_xblock.py
+++ b/lti_consumer/lti_xblock.py
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ def extract_real_user_data(self):
         user_data = {
             'user_email': None,
             'user_username': None,
-            'user_full_name': user.full_name,
+            'user_full_name': user.full_name.encode(),
             'user_language': None,
         }
 
diff --git a/lti_consumer/tests/unit/test_lti_xblock.py b/lti_consumer/tests/unit/test_lti_xblock.py
index f489ee27..cb3a8a3e 100644
--- a/lti_consumer/tests/unit/test_lti_xblock.py
+++ b/lti_consumer/tests/unit/test_lti_xblock.py
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         fake_user_email = 'abc@example.com'
         fake_user.emails = [fake_user_email]
 
-        full_name_mock = PropertyMock(return_value='fake_full_name')
+        full_name_mock = PropertyMock(return_value='fáke ñamë')
         type(fake_user).full_name = full_name_mock
 
         fake_username = 'fake'
@@ -1814,7 +1814,7 @@ def test_get_lti_1p3_launch_data(
         fake_user_email = 'fake_email@example.com'
         fake_username = 'fake_username'
 
-        fake_name = 'fake_full_name'
+        fake_name = 'fáke fǔll ñamë'
         full_name_mock = PropertyMock(return_value=fake_name)
         type(fake_user).full_name = full_name_mock