diff --git a/src/common/connection.py b/src/common/connection.py
index 4030ea7b3..4011a4959 100644
--- a/src/common/connection.py
+++ b/src/common/connection.py
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ class Connection:
 		if keyID and USE_GPG:
 			if not msg:
 				lowered_uf_status_msg = helpers.get_uf_show(show).lower()
-				msg = "I'm %s" % lowered_uf_status_msg
+				msg = _("I'm %s") % lowered_uf_status_msg
 			signed = self.gpg.sign(msg, keyID)
 			if signed == 'BAD_PASSPHRASE':
 				signed = ''
diff --git a/src/common/helpers.py b/src/common/helpers.py
index 056956a4a..945efc9d1 100644
--- a/src/common/helpers.py
+++ b/src/common/helpers.py
@@ -43,4 +43,4 @@ def get_uf_show(show):
 		uf_show = _('Not in the roster')
 	else:
 		uf_show = _('Has errors')
-	return uf_show
+	return unicode(uf_show)