diff --git a/pagure/lib/notify.py b/pagure/lib/notify.py
index 93b8328..c7a8a92 100644
--- a/pagure/lib/notify.py
+++ b/pagure/lib/notify.py
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ def send_email(text, subject, to_mail,
 
         # Send the message via our own SMTP server, but don't include the
         # envelope header.
+        if isinstance(mailto, unicode):
+            mailto = mailto.encode('utf-8')
         msg['To'] = mailto
         salt = pagure.APP.config.get('SALT_EMAIL')
         if isinstance(mailto, unicode):
diff --git a/tests/test_pagure_lib_notify.py b/tests/test_pagure_lib_notify.py
index 124a311..855ac01 100644
--- a/tests/test_pagure_lib_notify.py
+++ b/tests/test_pagure_lib_notify.py
@@ -205,6 +205,17 @@ RW1haWwgY29udGVudA==
 '''
         self.assertEqual(email.as_string(), exp)
 
+        email = pagure.lib.notify.send_email(
+            'Email content',
+            'Email “Subject“',
+            u'foo@bar.com,zöé@foo.net',
+            mail_id='test-pull-request-2edbf96ebe644f4bb31b94605e-1@pagure',
+            in_reply_to='test-pull-request-2edbf96ebe644f4bb31b94605e@pagure',
+            project_name='namespace/project',
+            user_from='Zöé',
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(email.as_string(), exp)
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     SUITE = unittest.TestLoader().loadTestsFromTestCase(PagureLibNotifytests)