diff --git a/checkout.py b/checkout.py
index 3d15e5065..97a193f9c 100644
--- a/checkout.py
+++ b/checkout.py
@@ -622,8 +622,8 @@ class GitCheckout(CheckoutBase):
          '--quiet'])
 
   def _get_head_commit_hash(self):
-    """Gets the current revision from the local branch."""
-    return self._check_output_git(['rev-parse', 'HEAD']).strip()
+    """Gets the current revision (in unicode) from the local branch."""
+    return unicode(self._check_output_git(['rev-parse', 'HEAD']).strip())
 
   def apply_patch(self, patches, post_processors=None, verbose=False):
     """Applies a patch on 'working_branch' and switches to it.
diff --git a/tests/checkout_test.py b/tests/checkout_test.py
index 57c9a5d5c..e36aac887 100755
--- a/tests/checkout_test.py
+++ b/tests/checkout_test.py
@@ -284,7 +284,9 @@ class SvnBaseTest(BaseTest):
       self.FAKE_REPOS.svn_dirty = True
 
     self.assertEquals(root, co.project_path)
-    self.assertEquals(self.previous_log['revision'], co.prepare(None))
+    svn_rev = co.prepare(None)
+    self.assertEquals(int, type(svn_rev))
+    self.assertEquals(self.previous_log['revision'], svn_rev)
     self.assertEquals('pouet', co.get_settings('bar'))
     self.assertTree(self.get_trunk(False), root)
     patches = self.get_patches()
@@ -377,7 +379,9 @@ class GitBaseTest(BaseTest):
       self.FAKE_REPOS.git_dirty = True
 
     self.assertEquals(root, co.project_path)
-    self.assertEquals(self.previous_log['revision'], co.prepare(None))
+    git_rev = co.prepare(None)
+    self.assertEquals(unicode, type(git_rev))
+    self.assertEquals(self.previous_log['revision'], git_rev)
     self.assertEquals('pouet', co.get_settings('bar'))
     self.assertTree(self.get_trunk(False), root)
     patches = self.get_patches()