diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index fb833e56..b81e5d15 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.4.6-stable+timestamp.2013.04.08.21.41.34
+Version 2.4.6-stable+timestamp.2013.04.08.21.44.29
diff --git a/gluon/contrib/markmin/markmin2html.py b/gluon/contrib/markmin/markmin2html.py
index 74bccf08..4bd0090f 100755
--- a/gluon/contrib/markmin/markmin2html.py
+++ b/gluon/contrib/markmin/markmin2html.py
@@ -859,6 +859,8 @@ def render(text,
     if autolinks=="default": autolinks = autolinks_simple
     if protolinks=="default": protolinks = protolinks_simple
     pp='\n' if pretty_print else ''
+    if isinstance(text,unicode):
+        text = text.encode('utf8')
     text = str(text or '')
     text = regex_backslash.sub(lambda m: m.group(1).translate(ttab_in), text)
     text = text.replace('\x05','') # concatenate strings separeted by \\n