diff --git a/django/oldforms/__init__.py b/django/oldforms/__init__.py
index d0f9aca62a..a0f14cdcf2 100644
--- a/django/oldforms/__init__.py
+++ b/django/oldforms/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.utils.html import escape
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext, ungettext
-from django.utils.encoding import smart_unicode, force_unicode, smart_str
+from django.utils.encoding import smart_unicode, force_unicode
 
 FORM_FIELD_ID_PREFIX = 'id_'
 
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ class SelectField(FormField):
 
     def isValidChoice(self, data, form):
         str_data = smart_unicode(data)
-        str_choices = [smart_str(item[0]) for item in self.choices]
+        str_choices = [smart_unicode(item[0]) for item in self.choices]
         if str_data not in str_choices:
             raise validators.ValidationError, ugettext("Select a valid choice; '%(data)s' is not in %(choices)s.") % {'data': str_data, 'choices': str_choices}
 
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/manipulators/models.py b/tests/modeltests/manipulators/models.py
index 7f1ff0e47b..46063828b9 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/manipulators/models.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/manipulators/models.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ True
 
 # Attempt to create an Album with an invalid musician.
 >>> man.get_validation_errors(MultiValueDict({'name': ['Sallies Fforth'], 'musician': ['foo']}))
-{'musician': [u"Select a valid choice; 'foo' is not in ['', '1']."]}
+{'musician': [u"Select a valid choice; 'foo' is not in [u'', u'1']."]}
 
 # Attempt to create an Album with an invalid release_date.
 >>> man.get_validation_errors(MultiValueDict({'name': ['Sallies Fforth'], 'musician': ['1'], 'release_date': 'today'}))