diff --git a/ckan/lib/helpers.py b/ckan/lib/helpers.py
index af0bb8199e9..71582bac071 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/helpers.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/helpers.py
@@ -1021,16 +1021,10 @@ def follow_count(obj_type, obj_id):
     context = {'model': model, 'session': model.Session, 'user': c.user}
     return logic.get_action(action)(context, {'id': obj_id})
 
-
 def _create_url_with_params(params=None, controller=None, action=None,
                             extras=None):
     ''' internal function for building urls with parameters. '''
 
-    def url_with_params(url, params):
-        params = [(k, v.encode('utf-8') if isinstance(v, basestring) else \
-                 str(v)) for k, v in params]
-        return url + u'?' + urllib.urlencode(params)
-
     if not controller:
         controller = c.controller
     if not action:
@@ -1039,7 +1033,7 @@ def url_with_params(url, params):
         extras = {}
 
     url = url_for(controller=controller, action=action, **extras)
-    return url_with_params(url, params)
+    return _url_with_params(url, params)
 
 def add_url_param(alternative_url=None, controller=None, action=None,
                    extras=None, new_params=None):
@@ -1050,18 +1044,19 @@ def add_url_param(alternative_url=None, controller=None, action=None,
     via url_for(controller=controller, action=action, **extras)
     controller & action default to the current ones
     '''
+
     params_nopage = [(k, v) for k, v in request.params.items() if k != 'page']
     params = set(params_nopage)
     if new_params:
         params |= set(new_params.items())
     if alternative_url:
-        return url_with_params(alternative_url, params)
+        return _url_with_params(alternative_url, params)
     return _create_url_with_params(params=params, controller=controller,
                                    action=action, extras=extras)
 
 
 def remove_url_param(key, value=None, replace=None, controller=None,
-                     action=None, extras=None):
+                     action=None, extras=None, alternative_url=None):
     ''' Remove a key from the current parameters. A specific key/value
     pair can be removed by passing a second value argument otherwise all
     pairs matching the key will be removed. If replace is given then a
@@ -1079,6 +1074,10 @@ def remove_url_param(key, value=None, replace=None, controller=None,
         [params.remove((k, v)) for (k, v) in params[:] if k == key]
     if replace is not None:
         params.append((key, replace))
+
+    if alternative_url:
+        return _url_with_params(alternative_url, params)
+
     return _create_url_with_params(params=params, controller=controller,
                                    action=action, extras=extras)
 
diff --git a/ckan/templates/snippets/facet_list.html b/ckan/templates/snippets/facet_list.html
index 7eb9df13c16..fc1bf87d15b 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/snippets/facet_list.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/snippets/facet_list.html
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ <h2 class="module-heading"><i class="icon-medium icon-filter"></i> {{ h.get_face
       <nav>
         <ul class="unstyled nav nav-simple nav-facet">
           {% for item in items %}
-            {% set href = h.remove_url_param(name, item.name, extras=extras) if item.active else h.add_url_param(new_params={name: item.name}, extras=extras) %}
+            {% set href = h.remove_url_param(name, item.name, extras=extras, alternative_url=alternative_url) if item.active else h.add_url_param(new_params={name: item.name}, extras=extras, alternative_url=alternative_url) %}
             {% set label = label_function(item) if label_function else h.truncate(item.display_name, 22) %}
             {% set count = count_label(item['count']) if count_label else ('(%d)' % item['count']) %}
               <li class="nav-item{% if item.active %} active{% endif %}">