diff --git a/django/views/generic/list.py b/django/views/generic/list.py
index 946dad69f5697..e9d57a070239f 100644
--- a/django/views/generic/list.py
+++ b/django/views/generic/list.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def paginate_queryset(self, queryset, page_size):
         except InvalidPage as e:
             raise Http404(_('Invalid page (%(page_number)s): %(message)s') % {
                                 'page_number': page_number,
-                                'message': e.message,
+                                'message': str(e)
             })
 
     def get_paginate_by(self, queryset):
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/generic_views/list.py b/tests/regressiontests/generic_views/list.py
index 6c73138043e0f..a8ed9e856bae4 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/generic_views/list.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/generic_views/list.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
 from django.views.generic.base import View
+from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 
 from .models import Author, Artist
 
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ def test_paginated_list_view_returns_useful_message_on_invalid_page(self):
         self._make_authors(1)
         res = self.client.get('/list/authors/paginated/2/')
         self.assertEqual(res.status_code, 404)
-        self.assertEqual(res.context.get('reason'),
+        self.assertEqual(force_str(res.context.get('reason')),
                 "Invalid page (2): That page contains no results")
 
     def _make_authors(self, n):