diff --git a/plugins/bitcoin.py b/plugins/bitcoin.py
index adf985b..a644407 100755
--- a/plugins/bitcoin.py
+++ b/plugins/bitcoin.py
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ def bitcoin(inp, say=None):
     data = http.get_json("https://data.mtgox.com/api/2/BTCUSD/money/ticker")
     data = data['data']
     ticker = {
-        'buy': data['buy']['display_short'],
-        'high': data['high']['display_short'],
-        'low': data['low']['display_short'],
-        'vol': data['vol']['display_short'],
+        'buy': data['buy']['display_short'].encode('ascii','ignore'),
+        'high': data['high']['display_short'].encode('ascii','ignore'),
+        'low': data['low']['display_short'].encode('ascii','ignore'),
+        'vol': data['vol']['display_short'].encode('ascii','ignore'),
     }
-    say("Current: \x0307{}\x0f - High: \x0307{}\x0f"
-        " - Low: \x0307{}\x0f - Volume: {}".format(data['buy'],data['high'],data['low'],data['vol']))
+    say("Current: \x0307{!s}\x0f - High: \x0307{!s}\x0f"
+        " - Low: \x0307{!s}\x0f - Volume: {!s}".format(ticker['buy'],ticker['high'],ticker['low'],ticker['vol']))