diff --git a/SoftLayer/CLI/formatting.py b/SoftLayer/CLI/formatting.py
index 4f10980de..6f35a9855 100644
--- a/SoftLayer/CLI/formatting.py
+++ b/SoftLayer/CLI/formatting.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def format_output(data, fmt='table'):  # pylint: disable=R0911,R0912
     # responds to .formatted
     if hasattr(data, 'formatted'):
         if fmt == 'table':
-            return str(data.formatted)
+            return data.formatted
 
     # responds to .separator
     if hasattr(data, 'separator'):
diff --git a/SoftLayer/tests/CLI/helper_tests.py b/SoftLayer/tests/CLI/helper_tests.py
index 7862ef008..873d58a89 100644
--- a/SoftLayer/tests/CLI/helper_tests.py
+++ b/SoftLayer/tests/CLI/helper_tests.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
     SoftLayer.tests.CLI.helper_tests
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -357,6 +358,17 @@ def test_format_output_python_keyvaluetable(self):
         ret = formatting.format_output(t, 'python')
         self.assertEqual({'nothing': None}, ret)
 
+    def test_format_output_unicode(self):
+        t = formatting.format_output('☃', 'raw')
+        self.assertEqual('☃', t)
+
+        item = formatting.FormattedItem('raw ☃', '☃')
+        t = formatting.format_output(item)
+        self.assertEqual('☃', t)
+
+        t = formatting.format_output(item, 'raw')
+        self.assertEqual('raw ☃', t)
+
 
 class TestTemplateArgs(testing.TestCase):