diff --git a/data/dbrepo/versions/002.py b/data/dbrepo/versions/002.py
index 2988d38..043c65c 100644
--- a/data/dbrepo/versions/002.py
+++ b/data/dbrepo/versions/002.py
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ meta = MetaData(migrate_engine)
 client = Table(
     'client', meta,
     Column('clientid', Integer, primary_key=True),
-    Column('title', String(10)),
-    Column('firstname', String(64), nullable=False),
-    Column('lastname', String(64), nullable=False),
-    Column('address1', String(64), nullable=False),
-    Column('address2', String(64)),
+    Column('title', Unicode(10)),
+    Column('firstname', Unicode(64), nullable=False),
+    Column('lastname', Unicode(64), nullable=False),
+    Column('address1', Unicode(64), nullable=False),
+    Column('address2', Unicode(64)),
     Column('zip', String(7), nullable=False),
-    Column('city', String(64), nullable=False),
+    Column('city', Unicode(64), nullable=False),
     Column('country', String(5), nullable=False),
     Column('phone', String(32), nullable=False),
     Column('mobile', String(32)),
diff --git a/gnuviechadmin/backend/BackendTo.py b/gnuviechadmin/backend/BackendTo.py
index 6853c41..c40088b 100644
--- a/gnuviechadmin/backend/BackendTo.py
+++ b/gnuviechadmin/backend/BackendTo.py
@@ -20,16 +20,20 @@
 # Version: $Id$
 
 from sqlalchemy.orm import object_mapper
+from sqlalchemy import Unicode
 
 
 class BackendTo(object):
     """Backend transfer object class."""
 
     def __init__(self, config, **kwargs):
-        cols = object_mapper(self).local_table.columns.keys()
+        cols = object_mapper(self).local_table.columns
         for (key, value) in kwargs.items():
-            if key in cols and value is not None:
-                self.__setattr__(key, unicode(value, 'utf8'))
+            if key in cols.keys() and value is not None:
+                if isinstance(cols[key].type, Unicode):
+                    self.__setattr__(key, value.decode('utf8'))
+                else:
+                    self.__setattr__(key, value)
 
     def __repr__(self, **kwargs):
         if 'verbose' in kwargs and kwargs['verbose']:
diff --git a/gnuviechadmin/backend/tables.py b/gnuviechadmin/backend/tables.py
index 27bccb2..c92bb3b 100644
--- a/gnuviechadmin/backend/tables.py
+++ b/gnuviechadmin/backend/tables.py
@@ -73,13 +73,22 @@ Trying automatic versioning.""")
         'organization', meta,
         Column('name', Unicode(200)),
         schema = dbschema, autoload = True)
+    client_table = Table(
+        'client', meta,
+        Column('title', Unicode(10)),
+        Column('firstname', Unicode(64)),
+        Column('lastname', Unicode(64)),
+        Column('address1', Unicode(64)),
+        Column('address2', Unicode(64)),
+        Column('city', Unicode(64)),
+        schema = dbschema, autoload = True)
     
-    (client_table, sysuser_table, domain_table, \
+    (sysuser_table, domain_table, \
          record_table, supermaster_table, mailaccount_table, \
          mailaddress_table, mailtarget_table) = \
          [Table(tabname, meta, schema = dbschema,
                 autoload = True) for tabname in \
-              ('client', 'sysuser', 'domain', 'record',
+              ('sysuser', 'domain', 'record',
                'supermaster', 'mailaccount', 'mailaddress', 'mailtarget')]
 
     client_mapper = mapper(Client, client_table, {