diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/srs.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/srs.py
index ccd24c5f96..1ea8a77701 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/srs.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/srs.py
@@ -54,18 +54,18 @@ linear_units = units_func(lgdal.OSRGetLinearUnits)
 angular_units = units_func(lgdal.OSRGetAngularUnits)
 
 # For exporting to WKT, PROJ.4, "Pretty" WKT, and XML.
-to_wkt = string_output(std_call('OSRExportToWkt'), [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p)], decoding='ascii')
+to_wkt = string_output(std_call('OSRExportToWkt'), [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p)], decoding='utf-8')
 to_proj = string_output(std_call('OSRExportToProj4'), [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p)], decoding='ascii')
 to_pretty_wkt = string_output(
     std_call('OSRExportToPrettyWkt'),
-    [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p), c_int], offset=-2, decoding='ascii'
+    [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p), c_int], offset=-2, decoding='utf-8'
 )
 
 # Memory leak fixed in GDAL 1.5; still exists in 1.4.
-to_xml = string_output(lgdal.OSRExportToXML, [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p), c_char_p], offset=-2, decoding='ascii')
+to_xml = string_output(lgdal.OSRExportToXML, [c_void_p, POINTER(c_char_p), c_char_p], offset=-2, decoding='utf-8')
 
 # String attribute retrival routines.
-get_attr_value = const_string_output(std_call('OSRGetAttrValue'), [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_int], decoding='ascii')
+get_attr_value = const_string_output(std_call('OSRGetAttrValue'), [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_int], decoding='utf-8')
 get_auth_name = const_string_output(lgdal.OSRGetAuthorityName, [c_void_p, c_char_p], decoding='ascii')
 get_auth_code = const_string_output(lgdal.OSRGetAuthorityCode, [c_void_p, c_char_p], decoding='ascii')
 
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/srs.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/srs.py
index ddb3ca061b..13e47132cd 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/srs.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/srs.py
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ class SpatialReference(GDALBase):
             self.import_wkt(srs_input)
             return
         elif isinstance(srs_input, six.string_types):
-            # Encoding to ASCII if unicode passed in.
-            if isinstance(srs_input, six.text_type):
-                srs_input = srs_input.encode('ascii')
             try:
                 # If SRID is a string, e.g., '4326', then make acceptable
                 # as user input.
@@ -297,7 +294,7 @@ class SpatialReference(GDALBase):
 
     def import_wkt(self, wkt):
         "Imports the Spatial Reference from OGC WKT (string)"
-        capi.from_wkt(self.ptr, byref(c_char_p(wkt)))
+        capi.from_wkt(self.ptr, byref(c_char_p(force_bytes(wkt))))
 
     def import_xml(self, xml):
         "Imports the Spatial Reference from an XML string."
@@ -327,7 +324,7 @@ class SpatialReference(GDALBase):
     @property
     def xml(self, dialect=''):
         "Returns the XML representation of this Spatial Reference."
-        return capi.to_xml(self.ptr, byref(c_char_p()), dialect)
+        return capi.to_xml(self.ptr, byref(c_char_p()), force_bytes(dialect))
 
 
 class CoordTransform(GDALBase):
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_srs.py b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_srs.py
index c52832041a..9c7f5c39a4 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_srs.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/gdal_tests/test_srs.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import unittest
 from unittest import skipUnless
 
@@ -259,3 +262,25 @@ class SpatialRefTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual('EPSG', s1['AUTHORITY'])
         self.assertEqual(4326, int(s1['AUTHORITY', 1]))
         self.assertIsNone(s1['FOOBAR'])
+
+    def test_unicode(self):
+        wkt = (
+            'PROJCS["DHDN / Soldner 39 Langschoß",'
+            'GEOGCS["DHDN",DATUM["Deutsches_Hauptdreiecksnetz",'
+            'SPHEROID["Bessel 1841",6377397.155,299.1528128,AUTHORITY["EPSG","7004"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","6314"]],'
+            'PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,AUTHORITY["EPSG","8901"]],'
+            'UNIT["degree",0.01745329251994328,AUTHORITY["EPSG","9122"]],'
+            'AUTHORITY["EPSG","4314"]],UNIT["metre",1,AUTHORITY["EPSG","9001"]],'
+            'PROJECTION["Cassini_Soldner"],PARAMETER["latitude_of_origin",50.66738711],'
+            'PARAMETER["central_meridian",6.28935703],PARAMETER["false_easting",0],'
+            'PARAMETER["false_northing",0],AUTHORITY["mj10777.de","187939"],AXIS["x",NORTH],AXIS["y",EAST]]'
+        )
+        srs = SpatialReference(wkt)
+        srs_list = [srs, srs.clone()]
+        srs.import_wkt(wkt)
+
+        for srs in srs_list:
+            self.assertEqual(srs.name, 'DHDN / Soldner 39 Langschoß')
+            self.assertEqual(srs.wkt, wkt)
+            self.assertIn('Langschoß', srs.pretty_wkt)
+            self.assertIn('Langschoß', srs.xml)