diff --git a/rest_framework/test.py b/rest_framework/test.py
index df5a5b3b3..dfec698ba 100644
--- a/rest_framework/test.py
+++ b/rest_framework/test.py
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 # Note that we import as `DjangoRequestFactory` and `DjangoClient` in order
 # to make it harder for the user to import the wrong thing without realizing.
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
+try:
+    from urllib import unquote
+except ImportError:
+    from urllib.parse import unquote
 import django
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test.client import Client as DjangoClient
@@ -169,3 +173,16 @@ if django.VERSION >= (1, 4):
 
     class APILiveServerTestCase(testcases.LiveServerTestCase):
         client_class = APIClient
+
+
+class IEClient(DjangoClient):
+    def request(self, **kwargs):
+        try:
+            kwargs['QUERY_STRING'] = unquote(kwargs['QUERY_STRING'])
+        except:
+            pass
+        return super(IEClient, self).request(**kwargs)
+
+
+class IETestCase(testcases.TestCase):
+    client_class = IEClient
diff --git a/rest_framework/tests/test_request.py b/rest_framework/tests/test_request.py
index c0b50f330..e32a50b88 100644
--- a/rest_framework/tests/test_request.py
+++ b/rest_framework/tests/test_request.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 Tests for content parsing, and form-overloaded content parsing.
 """
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ from rest_framework.parsers import (
 from rest_framework.request import Request, Empty
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
-from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory, APIClient
+from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory, APIClient, IETestCase
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
 from rest_framework.compat import six
 from io import BytesIO
@@ -272,6 +273,9 @@ class MockView(APIView):
 
         return Response(status=status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
 
+    def get(self, request):
+        return Response({})
+
 urlpatterns = patterns('',
     (r'^$', MockView.as_view()),
 )
@@ -345,3 +349,12 @@ class TestAuthSetter(TestCase):
         request = Request(factory.get('/'))
         request.auth = 'DUMMY'
         self.assertEqual(request.auth, 'DUMMY')
+
+
+class TestQueryString(IETestCase):
+    urls = 'rest_framework.tests.test_request'
+
+    def test_query_string_utf8(self):
+        qs = {'q': 'pølse'}
+        response = self.client.get('/', qs)
+        self.assertEqual(status.HTTP_200_OK, response.status_code)