diff -up Python-2.5.1/Python/ceval.c.orig Python-2.5.1/Python/ceval.c
--- Python-2.5.1/Python/ceval.c.orig	2008-04-16 17:12:08.000000000 -0400
+++ Python-2.5.1/Python/ceval.c	2008-04-16 17:14:21.000000000 -0400
@@ -2679,7 +2679,10 @@ PyEval_EvalCodeEx(PyCodeObject *co, PyOb
 			PyObject *keyword = kws[2*i];
 			PyObject *value = kws[2*i + 1];
 			int j;
-			if (keyword == NULL || !PyString_Check(keyword)) {
+			if (keyword == NULL || 
+                             !(PyString_Check(keyword) || 
+                                 PyUnicode_Check(keyword))) {
+
 				PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
 				    "%.200s() keywords must be strings",
 				    PyString_AsString(co->co_name));