diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/feature.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/feature.py
index cf42781ec4..6e857ca074 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/feature.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/feature.py
@@ -82,8 +82,13 @@ class Feature(GDALBase):
     @property
     def fields(self):
         "Return a list of fields in the Feature."
-        return [capi.get_field_name(capi.get_field_defn(self._layer._ldefn, i))
-                for i in range(self.num_fields)]
+        return [
+            force_text(
+                capi.get_field_name(capi.get_field_defn(self._layer._ldefn, i)),
+                self.encoding,
+                strings_only=True
+            ) for i in range(self.num_fields)
+        ]
 
     @property
     def geom(self):
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_ds.py b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_ds.py
index 0cf0abdc70..535aba70fb 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_ds.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_ds.py
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ class DataSourceTest(unittest.TestCase):
                         # Making sure we get the proper OGR Field instance, using
                         # a string value index for the feature.
                         self.assertIsInstance(feat[k], v)
+                    self.assertIsInstance(feat.fields[0], str)
 
                     # Testing Feature.__iter__
                     for fld in feat: