diff --git a/docs/releases/2.1.8.rst b/docs/releases/2.1.8.rst
index f3b89980fa..82aa846878 100644
--- a/docs/releases/2.1.8.rst
+++ b/docs/releases/2.1.8.rst
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ Backward incompatible changes
 Bugs fixed or issues closed
 ===========================
 
+* `GitLab issue #310 <https://gitlab.com/mayan-edms/mayan-edms/issues/310>`_ Metadata's lookup with chinese messages when new document
 * `GitLab issue #348 <https://gitlab.com/mayan-edms/mayan-edms/issues/348>`_ REST API: Document version comments are not getting updated
 * `GitLab issue #349 <https://gitlab.com/mayan-edms/mayan-edms/issues/349>`_ REST API: Document Label, Description are not able to update
 
diff --git a/mayan/apps/metadata/models.py b/mayan/apps/metadata/models.py
index 8ff7609517..b6aaeab76e 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/metadata/models.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/metadata/models.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import shlex
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.db import models
 from django.template import Context, Template
-from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
+from django.utils.encoding import force_text, python_2_unicode_compatible
 from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class MetadataType(models.Model):
         splitter.whitespace = ','.encode('utf-8')
         splitter.whitespace_split = True
         splitter.commenters = ''.encode('utf-8')
-        return list(splitter)
+        return [force_text(e) for e in splitter]
 
     def get_default_value(self):
         template = Template(self.default)
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ class MetadataType(models.Model):
 
         if self.lookup:
             lookup_options = self.get_lookup_values()
+
             if value and value not in lookup_options:
                 raise ValidationError(
                     _('Value is not one of the provided options.')
diff --git a/mayan/apps/metadata/tests/test_models.py b/mayan/apps/metadata/tests/test_models.py
index 3d96286a64..91990bd168 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/metadata/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/metadata/tests/test_models.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.core.files.base import File
@@ -175,3 +176,15 @@ class MetadataTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(
             self.metadata_type.get_required_for(self.document_type)
         )
+
+    def test_unicode_lookup(self):
+        # Should NOT return a ValidationError, otherwise test fails
+        self.metadata_type.lookup = '测试1,测试2,test1,test2'
+        self.metadata_type.save()
+        self.metadata_type.validate_value(document_type=None, value='测试1')
+
+    def test_non_unicode_lookup(self):
+        # Should NOT return a ValidationError, otherwise test fails
+        self.metadata_type.lookup = 'test1,test2'
+        self.metadata_type.save()
+        self.metadata_type.validate_value(document_type=None, value='test1')