diff --git a/searx/preferences.py b/searx/preferences.py
index acaa67f6..30a4252b 100644
--- a/searx/preferences.py
+++ b/searx/preferences.py
@@ -292,7 +292,10 @@ class Preferences(object):
 
     def parse_encoded_data(self, input_data):
         decoded_data = decompress(urlsafe_b64decode(input_data.encode('utf-8')))
-        self.parse_dict({x: y[0] for x, y in parse_qs(unicode(decoded_data)).items()})
+        dict_data = {}
+        for x, y in parse_qs(decoded_data).items():
+            dict_data[x.decode('utf8')] = y[0].decode('utf8')
+        self.parse_dict(dict_data)
 
     def parse_dict(self, input_data):
         for user_setting_name, user_setting in input_data.items():
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_preferences.py b/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
index 885c515e..61ac0e8e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_preferences.py
@@ -122,3 +122,23 @@ class TestSettings(SearxTestCase):
         plugin3 = PluginStub('plugin3', True)
         setting = PluginsSetting('name', choices=[plugin1, plugin2, plugin3])
         self.assertEquals(setting.get_enabled(), set(['plugin1', 'plugin3']))
+
+
+class TestPreferences(SearxTestCase):
+
+    def test_encode(self):
+        from searx.preferences import Preferences
+        pref = Preferences(['oscar'], ['general'], {}, [])
+        url_params = 'eJx1VMmO2zAM_Zr6YrTocujJh6JF0QEKzKAz7VVgJNohLIseUU7ivy-VcWy5yyGOTVGP73GLKJNPYjiYgGeT4NB8BS9YOSY' \
+            'TUdifMDYM-vmGY1d5CN0EHTYOK88W_PXNkcDBozOjnzoK0vyi4bWnHs2RU4-zvHr_-RF9a-5Cy3GARByy7X7EkKMoBeMp9CuPQ-SzYMx' \
+            '8Vr9P1qKI-XJ_p1fOkRJWNCgVM0a-zAttmBJbHkaPSZlNts-_jiuBFgUh2mPztkpHHLBhsRArDHvm356eHh5vATS0Mqagr0ZsZO_V8hT' \
+            'B9srt54_v6jewJugqL4Nn_hYSdhxnI-jRpi05GDQCStOT7UGVmJY8ZnltRKyF23SGiLWjqNcygKGkpyeGZIywJfD1gI5AjRTAmBM55Aw' \
+            'Q0Tn626lj7jzWo4e5hnEsIlprX6dTgdBRpyRBFKTDgBF8AasVyT4gvSTEoXRpXWRyG3CYQYld65I_V6lboILTMAlZY65_ejRDcHgp0Tv' \
+            'EPtGAsqTiBf3m76g7pP9B84mwjPvuUtASRDei1nDF2ix_JXW91UJkXrPh6RAhznVmKyQl7dwJdMJ6bz1QOmgzYlrEzHDMcEUuo44AgS1' \
+            'CvkjaOb2Q2AyY5oGDTs_OLXE_c2I5cg9hk3kEJZ0fu4SuktsIA2RhuJwP86AdripThCBeO9uVUejyPGmFSxPrqEYcuWi25zOEXV9tc1m' \
+            '_KP1nafYtdfv6Q9hKfWmGm9A_3G635UwiVndLGdFCiLWkONk0xUxGLGGweGWTa2nZYZ0fS1YKlE3Uuw8fPl52E5U8HJYbC7sbjXUsrnT' \
+            'XHXRbELfO-1fGSqskiGnMK7B0dV3t8Lq08pbdtYpuVdoKWA2Yjuyah_vHp2rZWjo0zXL8Gw8DTj0='
+        pref.parse_encoded_data(url_params)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            vars(pref.key_value_settings['categories']),
+            {'value': ['general'], 'choices': ['general', 'none']})