diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index 9a6735678..c7d82293d 100755
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -1992,7 +1992,7 @@ def getUnicode(value, encoding=None, system=False, noneToNull=False):
                 try:
                     return unicode(value, encoding or kb.get("pageEncoding") or UNICODE_ENCODING)
                 except UnicodeDecodeError, ex:
-                    value = value[:ex.start] + "".join(INVALID_UNICODE_CHAR_FORMAT % ord(_) for _ in value[ex.start:ex.end]) + value[ex.end:]
+                    return value[:ex.start] + "".join(INVALID_UNICODE_CHAR_FORMAT % ord(_) for _ in value[ex.start:ex.end]) + value[ex.end:]
         else:
             return unicode(value)  # encoding ignored for non-basestring instances
     else: