diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 1e56bd3412..5d2a1b9fcd 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     phil@produxion.net
     phil.h.smith@gmail.com
     Gustavo Picon
+    pigletto
     Luke Plant <http://lukeplant.me.uk/>
     plisk
     Daniel Poelzleithner <http://poelzi.org/>
diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
index b7d6e93def..f7b9069cce 100644
--- a/django/db/models/base.py
+++ b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from django.db.models.loading import register_models, get_model
 from django.dispatch import dispatcher
 from django.utils.datastructures import SortedDict
 from django.utils.functional import curry
-from django.utils.encoding import smart_str, force_unicode
+from django.utils.encoding import smart_str, force_unicode, smart_unicode
 from django.conf import settings
 from itertools import izip
 import types
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ class Model(object):
         pk_val = self._get_pk_val()
         # Note: the comparison with '' is required for compatibility with
         # oldforms-style model creation.
-        pk_set = pk_val is not None and pk_val != u''
+        pk_set = pk_val is not None and smart_unicode(pk_val) != u''
         record_exists = True
         if pk_set:
             # Determine whether a record with the primary key already exists.
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/custom_pk/models.py b/tests/modeltests/custom_pk/models.py
index 53bbadbfd4..375859c897 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/custom_pk/models.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/custom_pk/models.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 14. Using a custom primary key
 
@@ -92,4 +93,8 @@ DoesNotExist: Employee matching query does not exist.
 >>> Business.objects.filter(employees__first_name__startswith='Fran')
 [<Business: Sears>]
 
+# Primary key may be unicode string
+>>> emp = Employee(employee_code='jaźń')
+>>> emp.save()
+
 """}