diff --git a/NEWS.txt b/NEWS.txt
index 98b173877..95d298fa5 100644
--- a/NEWS.txt
+++ b/NEWS.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Version 0.9.0beta1 - 2007-04-XX
    * Unable to specify album art file name mask. (#2655)
    * Fixed incorrect copying of album metadata to tracks. (#2698)
    * Added options to un-hide toolbars. (#2631)
+   * Fixed problem with saving extra performer FLAC tags
+     containing non-ASCII characters. (#2719)
 
 Version 0.9.0alpha6 - 2007-04-04
  * New Features:
diff --git a/picard/formats/vorbis.py b/picard/formats/vorbis.py
index 78fb988db..1b51fae84 100644
--- a/picard/formats/vorbis.py
+++ b/picard/formats/vorbis.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class VCommentFile(File):
                 name, desc = name.split(':', 1)
                 if desc:
                     value += ' (%s)' % desc
-            tags.setdefault(name.upper(), []).append(value)
+            tags.setdefault(name.upper().encode('utf-8'), []).append(value)
         file.tags.update(tags)
         kwargs = {}
         if self._File == mutagen.flac.FLAC and self.config.setting["remove_id3_from_flac"]: