diff --git a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
index c73babf3f..0bb68b7d2 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class todo:
         todo.itinerary = []
         if todo.commitlist:
             for name,func in todo.commitlist:
-                # print "debug: committing ",str(name)
+                #print "debug: committing ",str(name)
                 try:
                     name = str(name)
                     FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.openTransaction(name)
@@ -1026,7 +1026,8 @@ class DraftToolBar:
             if (self.labelSString.isVisible()):
                 if self.SStringValue.text():
 #                    print "debug: D_G DraftToolBar.validateSString type(SStringValue.text): "  str(type(self.SStringValue.text))
-                    self.sourceCmd.validSString(str(self.SStringValue.text()))    # QString to QByteArray to PyString
+                    #self.sourceCmd.validSString(str(self.SStringValue.text()))    # QString to QByteArray to PyString
+                    self.sourceCmd.validSString(self.SStringValue.text())    # PySide returns Unicode from QString
                 else:
                     FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage(translate("draft", "Please enter a text string."))                     
               
diff --git a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
index b29eec326..7a626a713 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
@@ -1838,16 +1838,12 @@ class ShapeString(Creator):
     def createObject(self):
         "creates object in the current doc"
         #print "debug: D_T ShapeString.createObject type(self.SString): "  str(type(self.SString))
-        # temporary code
-        #import platform
-        #if not (platform.system() == 'Linux'):
-        #    FreeCAD.Console.PrintWarning("Sorry, ShapeString is not yet fully implemented for your platform.\n")
-        #    self.finish()
-        #    return
-        # temporary code
 
         dquote = '"'
-        String  = dquote + self.SString + dquote             
+        if type(self.SString) == unicode:
+            String  = 'u' + dquote + self.SString.encode('unicode_escape') + dquote             
+        else:
+            String  = dquote + self.SString + dquote             
         Size = str(self.SSSize)                              # numbers are ascii so this should always work
         Tracking = str(self.SSTrack)                         # numbers are ascii so this should always work
         FFile = dquote + self.FFile + dquote