diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index f3a251519..3c656c8f1 100644
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -3092,6 +3092,8 @@ def decodeHexValue(value):
     Returns value decoded from DBMS specific hexadecimal representation
     """
 
+    retVal = value
+
     def _(value):
         if value and isinstance(value, basestring) and len(value) % 2 == 0:
             if value.lower().startswith("0x"):
@@ -3109,7 +3111,12 @@ def decodeHexValue(value):
                     pass
         return value
 
-    return applyFunctionRecursively(value, _)
+    try:
+        retVal = applyFunctionRecursively(value, _)
+    except Exception:
+        singleTimeWarnMessage("there was a problem decoding value '%s' from expected hexadecimal form" % value)
+
+    return retVal
 
 def extractExpectedValue(value, expected):
     """
diff --git a/lib/utils/hashdb.py b/lib/utils/hashdb.py
index 71434a2e3..e243ea263 100644
--- a/lib/utils/hashdb.py
+++ b/lib/utils/hashdb.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import sqlite3
 import threading
 import time
 
+from lib.core.common import getUnicode
 from lib.core.common import serializeObject
 from lib.core.common import unserializeObject
 from lib.core.settings import HASHDB_FLUSH_THRESHOLD
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ class HashDB(object):
         if key:
             hash_ = HashDB.hashKey(key)
             self._cache_lock.acquire()
-            self._write_cache[hash_] = value if not serialize else serializeObject(value)
+            self._write_cache[hash_] = getUnicode(value) if not serialize else serializeObject(value)
             self._cache_lock.release()
 
         if getCurrentThreadName() in ('0', 'MainThread'):