diff --git a/dynamic_db_router/router.py b/dynamic_db_router/router.py
index f768832..41d2665 100644
--- a/dynamic_db_router/router.py
+++ b/dynamic_db_router/router.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 from uuid import uuid4
 
 from django.db import connections
+from django.utils import six
+
 
 THREAD_LOCAL = threading.local()
 
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ def __init__(self, database, read=True, write=False):
         self.read = read
         self.write = write
         self.created_db_config = False
-        if isinstance(database, str):
+        if isinstance(database, six.string_types):
             self.database = database
         elif isinstance(database, dict):
             # Note: this invalidates the docs above. Update them
diff --git a/dynamic_db_router/tests/tests.py b/dynamic_db_router/tests/tests.py
index c4ec7f9..81d0ace 100644
--- a/dynamic_db_router/tests/tests.py
+++ b/dynamic_db_router/tests/tests.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from django.db import connections
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import six
 from django_dynamic_fixture import G
 
 from dynamic_db_router import DynamicDbRouter, in_database
@@ -19,6 +20,13 @@ def test_string_identifier(self):
         expected = 1
         self.assertEqual(count, expected)
 
+    def test_unicode_identifier(self):
+        G(TestModel, name='Arnold')
+        with in_database(six.text_type('default')):
+            count = TestModel.objects.count()
+        expected = 1
+        self.assertEqual(count, expected)
+
     def test_readonly_connection_writes_to_default(self):
         with in_database('test'):
             G(TestModel, name='Arnold')
diff --git a/publish.py b/publish.py
index a363e3f..7fd2587 100644
--- a/publish.py
+++ b/publish.py
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
 subprocess.call(['pip', 'install', 'wheel'])
 subprocess.call(['python', 'setup.py', 'clean', '--all'])
-subprocess.call(['python', 'setup.py', 'register', 'sdist', 'bdist_wheel', 'upload'])
\ No newline at end of file
+subprocess.call(['python', 'setup.py', 'register', 'sdist', 'bdist_wheel', 'upload'])