diff --git a/python/ycm/client/base_request.py b/python/ycm/client/base_request.py
index 73850034..7f609727 100644
--- a/python/ycm/client/base_request.py
+++ b/python/ycm/client/base_request.py
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@
 # along with YouCompleteMe.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import vim
-import json
 import requests
 import urlparse
 from retries import retries
 from requests_futures.sessions import FuturesSession
 from ycm.unsafe_thread_pool_executor import UnsafeThreadPoolExecutor
 from ycm import vimsupport
+from ycm.utils import ToUtf8Json
 from ycm.server.responses import ServerError, UnknownExtraConf
 
 _HEADERS = {'content-type': 'application/json'}
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class BaseRequest( object ):
     def SendRequest( data, handler, method, timeout ):
       if method == 'POST':
         return BaseRequest.session.post( _BuildUri( handler ),
-                                        data = json.dumps( data ),
+                                        data = ToUtf8Json( data ),
                                         headers = _HEADERS,
                                         timeout = timeout )
       if method == 'GET':
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class BaseRequest( object ):
     def DelayedSendRequest( data, handler, method ):
       if method == 'POST':
         return requests.post( _BuildUri( handler ),
-                              data = json.dumps( data ),
+                              data = ToUtf8Json( data ),
                               headers = _HEADERS )
       if method == 'GET':
         return requests.get( _BuildUri( handler ),
diff --git a/python/ycm/utils.py b/python/ycm/utils.py
index 608b484f..308f9d59 100644
--- a/python/ycm/utils.py
+++ b/python/ycm/utils.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import signal
 import functools
 import socket
 import stat
+import json
 from distutils.spawn import find_executable
 import subprocess
 
@@ -47,6 +48,10 @@ def ToUtf8IfNeeded( value ):
   return str( value )
 
 
+def ToUtf8Json( data ):
+  return ToUtf8IfNeeded( json.dumps( data, ensure_ascii = False ) )
+
+
 def PathToTempDir():
   tempdir = os.path.join( tempfile.gettempdir(), 'ycm_temp' )
   if not os.path.exists( tempdir ):