diff --git a/docker/utils/utils.py b/docker/utils/utils.py
index a5fbe0ba..8385a760 100644
--- a/docker/utils/utils.py
+++ b/docker/utils/utils.py
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ def format_environment(environment):
     def format_env(key, value):
         if value is None:
             return key
-        return '{key}={value}'.format(key=key, value=value)
+        return u'{key}={value}'.format(key=key, value=value)
     return [format_env(*var) for var in six.iteritems(environment)]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/container_test.py b/tests/unit/container_test.py
index c480462f..3cea42fb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/container_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/container_test.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
 import datetime
 import json
 import signal
@@ -1155,6 +1157,24 @@ class CreateContainerTest(DockerClientTest):
             args[1]['timeout'], DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
         )
 
+    def test_create_container_with_unicode_envvars(self):
+        envvars_dict = {
+            'foo': u'☃',
+        }
+
+        expected = [
+            u'foo=☃'
+        ]
+
+        self.client.create_container(
+            'busybox', 'true',
+            environment=envvars_dict,
+        )
+
+        args = fake_request.call_args
+        self.assertEqual(args[0][1], url_prefix + 'containers/create')
+        self.assertEqual(json.loads(args[1]['data'])['Env'], expected)
+
 
 class ContainerTest(DockerClientTest):
     def test_list_containers(self):