--- a/uilib.py	Fri Nov 05 12:43:25 2010 +0100
+++ b/uilib.py	Fri Nov 05 14:28:07 2010 +0100
@@ -342,6 +342,16 @@
 
 import traceback
 
+def exc_message(ex, encoding):
+    try:
+        return unicode(ex)
+    except:
+        try:
+            return unicode(str(ex), encoding, 'replace')
+        except:
+            return unicode(repr(ex), encoding, 'replace')
+
+
 def rest_traceback(info, exception):
     """return a ReST formated traceback"""
     res = [u'Traceback\n---------\n::\n']

--- a/web/views/basecontrollers.py	Fri Nov 05 12:43:25 2010 +0100
+++ b/web/views/basecontrollers.py	Fri Nov 05 14:28:07 2010 +0100
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 from cubicweb import (NoSelectableObject, ObjectNotFound, ValidationError,
                       AuthenticationError, typed_eid)
 from cubicweb.utils import UStringIO, json, json_dumps
+from cubicweb.uilib import exc_message
 from cubicweb.selectors import authenticated_user, anonymous_user, match_form_params
 from cubicweb.mail import format_mail
 from cubicweb.web import Redirect, RemoteCallFailed, DirectResponse
@@ -281,15 +282,15 @@
         except ValueError, exc:
             self.exception('error while decoding json arguments for js_%s: %s',
                            fname, args, exc)
-            raise RemoteCallFailed(repr(exc))
+            raise RemoteCallFailed(exc_message(exc, self._cw.encoding))
         try:
             result = func(*args)
         except (RemoteCallFailed, DirectResponse):
             raise
-        except Exception, ex:
+        except Exception, exc:
             self.exception('an exception occurred while calling js_%s(%s): %s',
-                           fname, args, ex)
-            raise RemoteCallFailed(repr(ex))
+                           fname, args, exc)
+            raise RemoteCallFailed(exc_message(exc, self._cw.encoding))
         if result is None:
             return ''
         # get unicode on @htmlize methods, encoded string on @jsonize methods

--- a/web/views/management.py	Fri Nov 05 12:43:25 2010 +0100
+++ b/web/views/management.py	Fri Nov 05 14:28:07 2010 +0100
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 from cubicweb.selectors import yes, none_rset, match_user_groups, authenticated_user
 from cubicweb.view import AnyRsetView, StartupView, EntityView, View
-from cubicweb.uilib import html_traceback, rest_traceback
+from cubicweb.uilib import html_traceback, rest_traceback, exc_message
 from cubicweb.web import formwidgets as wdgs
 from cubicweb.web.formfields import guess_field
 from cubicweb.web.views.schema import SecurityViewMixIn
@@ -220,15 +220,6 @@
             form.render(w=w)
 
 
-def exc_message(ex, encoding):
-    try:
-        return unicode(ex)
-    except:
-        try:
-            return unicode(str(ex), encoding, 'replace')
-        except:
-            return unicode(repr(ex), encoding, 'replace')
-
 def text_error_description(ex, excinfo, req, eversion, cubes):
     binfo = rest_traceback(excinfo, xml_escape(ex))
     binfo += u'\n\n:URL: %s\n' % req.url()