diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index c02dfd84..6706c5cd 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.4.2-stable+timestamp.2013.03.10.11.04.02
+Version 2.4.2-stable+timestamp.2013.03.10.11.05.31
diff --git a/gluon/validators.py b/gluon/validators.py
index e052837c..e2daf9a1 100644
--- a/gluon/validators.py
+++ b/gluon/validators.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ class IS_MATCH(Validator):
 
     def __call__(self, value):
         if self.unicode and not isinstance(value,unicode):
-            match = self.regex.search(str(value).encode('utf8'))
+            match = self.regex.search(str(value).decode('utf8'))
         else:
             match = self.regex.search(str(value))
         if match is not None: