diff --git a/rhodecode/api/exc.py b/rhodecode/api/exc.py
--- a/rhodecode/api/exc.py
+++ b/rhodecode/api/exc.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 
 
 class JSONRPCBaseError(Exception):
-    pass
+    def __init__(self, message='', *args):
+        self.message = message
+        super(JSONRPCBaseError, self).__init__(message, *args)
 
 
 class JSONRPCError(JSONRPCBaseError):
@@ -31,7 +33,8 @@ class JSONRPCValidationError(JSONRPCBase
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.colander_exception = kwargs.pop('colander_exc')
-        super(JSONRPCValidationError, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        super(JSONRPCValidationError, self).__init__(
+            message=self.colander_exception, *args)
 
 
 class JSONRPCForbidden(JSONRPCBaseError):
diff --git a/rhodecode/api/views/repo_api.py b/rhodecode/api/views/repo_api.py
--- a/rhodecode/api/views/repo_api.py
+++ b/rhodecode/api/views/repo_api.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from rhodecode.lib import audit_logger
 from rhodecode.lib import repo_maintenance
 from rhodecode.lib.auth import HasPermissionAnyApi, HasUserGroupPermissionAnyApi
 from rhodecode.lib.celerylib.utils import get_task_id
-from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import str2bool, time_to_datetime
+from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import str2bool, time_to_datetime, safe_str
 from rhodecode.lib.ext_json import json
 from rhodecode.lib.exceptions import StatusChangeOnClosedPullRequestError
 from rhodecode.model.changeset_status import ChangesetStatusModel
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ def get_repo_changeset(request, apiuser,
     try:
         cs = repo.get_commit(commit_id=revision, pre_load=pre_load)
     except TypeError as e:
-        raise JSONRPCError(e.message)
+        raise JSONRPCError(safe_str(e))
     _cs_json = cs.__json__()
     _cs_json['diff'] = build_commit_data(cs, changes_details)
     if changes_details == 'full':
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ def get_repo_changesets(request, apiuser
         commits = vcs_repo.get_commits(
             start_id=start_rev, pre_load=pre_load)
     except TypeError as e:
-        raise JSONRPCError(e.message)
+        raise JSONRPCError(safe_str(e))
     except Exception:
         log.exception('Fetching of commits failed')
         raise JSONRPCError('Error occurred during commit fetching')
@@ -1433,7 +1433,7 @@ def comment_commit(
         commit_id = repo.scm_instance().get_commit(commit_id=commit_id).raw_id
     except Exception as e:
         log.exception('Failed to fetch commit')
-        raise JSONRPCError(e.message)
+        raise JSONRPCError(safe_str(e))
 
     if isinstance(userid, Optional):
         userid = apiuser.user_id
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/_base/__init__.py b/rhodecode/apps/_base/__init__.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/_base/__init__.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/_base/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ import operator
 from pyramid.httpexceptions import HTTPFound, HTTPForbidden, HTTPBadRequest
 
 from rhodecode.lib import helpers as h, diffs
-from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import StrictAttributeDict, safe_int, datetime_to_time
+from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import (
+    StrictAttributeDict, safe_int, datetime_to_time, safe_unicode)
 from rhodecode.lib.vcs.exceptions import RepositoryRequirementError
 from rhodecode.model import repo
 from rhodecode.model import repo_group
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ class RepoAppView(BaseAppView):
     def _handle_missing_requirements(self, error):
         log.error(
             'Requirements are missing for repository %s: %s',
-            self.db_repo_name, error.message)
+            self.db_repo_name, safe_unicode(error))
 
     def _get_local_tmpl_context(self, include_app_defaults=True):
         _ = self.request.translate
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_ssh_wrapper.py b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_ssh_wrapper.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_ssh_wrapper.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_ssh_wrapper.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TestSSHWrapper(object):
             ssh_wrapper.serve(
                 vcs='microsoft-tfs', repo='test-repo', mode=None, user='test',
                 permissions={}, branch_permissions={})
-        assert exc_info.value.message == 'Unrecognised VCS: microsoft-tfs'
+        assert str(exc_info.value) == 'Unrecognised VCS: microsoft-tfs'
 
     def test_parse_config(self, ssh_wrapper):
         config = ssh_wrapper.parse_config(ssh_wrapper.ini_path)