diff --git a/awscli/table.py b/awscli/table.py
index 8d355375ef2c..0bb5f991d05d 100644
--- a/awscli/table.py
+++ b/awscli/table.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import struct
 
 import colorama
+import six
 
 
 def determine_terminal_width(default_width=80):
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ def add_row(self, row):
         self._update_max_widths(row)
 
     def _format_row(self, row):
-        return [str(r) for r in row]
+        return [six.text_type(r) for r in row]
 
     def _update_max_widths(self, row):
         if not self._max_widths:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_table.py b/tests/unit/test_table.py
index 76ccbb50ea5c..0cf78a63b421 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_table.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_table.py
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ def test_title_accounts_for_outer_padding(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.section.total_width(padding=2, outer_padding=3), 17)
 
+    def test_unicode_text_row(self):
+        self.section.add_row([1])
+        self.section.add_row(['check'])
+        self.section.add_row([u'\u2713'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.section.rows,
+            [[u'1'], [u'check'], [u'\u2713']])
+
 
 class TestMultiTable(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):