diff --git a/data_objects/lib/data_objects/spec/typecast/string_spec.rb b/data_objects/lib/data_objects/spec/typecast/string_spec.rb
index 0d0b5118..b17ce69c 100644
--- a/data_objects/lib/data_objects/spec/typecast/string_spec.rb
+++ b/data_objects/lib/data_objects/spec/typecast/string_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
 shared 'supporting String' do
 
   setup_test_environment
@@ -79,6 +81,41 @@
 
   end
 
+  describe 'writing and reading a multibyte String' do
+
+    ['Aslak Hellesøy',
+     'Пётр Алексе́евич Рома́нов',
+     '歐陽龍'].each do |name|
+
+      it 'should write a multibyte String' do
+        @command = @connection.create_command('INSERT INTO users (name) VALUES(?)')
+        should.not.raise(DataObjects::DataError) { @command.execute_non_query(name) }
+      end
+
+      it 'should read back the multibyte String' do
+        @command = @connection.create_command('SELECT name FROM users WHERE name = ?')
+        @reader = @command.execute_reader(name)
+        @reader.next!
+        @reader.values.first.should == name
+        @reader.close
+      end
+
+      it 'should write a multibyte String (without query parameters)' do
+        @command = @connection.create_command("INSERT INTO users (name) VALUES(\'#{name}\')")
+        should.not.raise(DataObjects::DataError) { @command.execute_non_query }
+      end
+
+      it 'should read back the multibyte String (without query parameters)' do
+        @command = @connection.create_command("SELECT name FROM users WHERE name = \'#{name}\'")
+        @reader = @command.execute_reader
+        @reader.next!
+        @reader.values.first.should == name
+        @reader.close
+      end
+
+    end
+  end
+
   class ::StringWithExtraPowers < String; end
 
   describe 'writing a kind of (subclass of) String' do
diff --git a/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/Command.java b/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/Command.java
index dd806011..af6c432d 100644
--- a/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/Command.java
+++ b/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/Command.java
@@ -242,8 +242,9 @@ public IRubyObject execute_reader(IRubyObject[] args) {
 
         // execute the query
         try {
-            String sqlText = prepareSqlTextForPs(api.getInstanceVariable(this,
-                    "@text").asJavaString(), args);
+            String doSqlText = api.convertToRubyString(
+                    api.getInstanceVariable(this, "@text")).getUnicodeValue();
+            String sqlText = prepareSqlTextForPs(doSqlText, args);
 
             sqlStatement = conn.prepareStatement(
                            sqlText,
diff --git a/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/drivers/AbstractDriverDefinition.java b/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/drivers/AbstractDriverDefinition.java
index 5262ee67..14db666a 100644
--- a/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/drivers/AbstractDriverDefinition.java
+++ b/do_jdbc/src/main/java/data_objects/drivers/AbstractDriverDefinition.java
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ public void setPreparedStatementParam(PreparedStatement ps,
             ps.setBoolean(idx, arg.toString().equals("true"));
             break;
         case STRING:
-            ps.setString(idx, arg.toString());
+            ps.setString(idx, arg.asString().getUnicodeValue());
             break;
         case CLASS:
             ps.setString(idx, arg.toString());
diff --git a/do_postgres/ext-java/src/main/java/do_postgres/PostgresDriverDefinition.java b/do_postgres/ext-java/src/main/java/do_postgres/PostgresDriverDefinition.java
index b8f638f8..5dc308cb 100644
--- a/do_postgres/ext-java/src/main/java/do_postgres/PostgresDriverDefinition.java
+++ b/do_postgres/ext-java/src/main/java/do_postgres/PostgresDriverDefinition.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public void setPreparedStatementParam(PreparedStatement ps,
                 ps.setInt(idx, Integer.valueOf(arg.toString()));
                 break;
             default:
-                ps.setString(idx, arg.toString());
+                ps.setString(idx, arg.asString().getUnicodeValue());
             }
             break;
         case BYTE_ARRAY: