diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/utils.py b/qutebrowser/utils/utils.py
index ef61f3c00..f2209f711 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/utils.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/utils.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import io
 import sys
 import enum
+import json
 import os.path
 import collections
 import functools
@@ -762,7 +763,7 @@ def set_clipboard(data, selection=False):
         raise SelectionUnsupportedError
     if log_clipboard:
         what = 'primary selection' if selection else 'clipboard'
-        log.misc.debug("Setting fake {}: {!r}".format(what, data))
+        log.misc.debug("Setting fake {}: {}".format(what, json.dumps(data)))
     else:
         mode = QClipboard.Selection if selection else QClipboard.Clipboard
         clipboard.setText(data, mode=mode)
diff --git a/tests/integration/features/conftest.py b/tests/integration/features/conftest.py
index eaeef1f22..9e14a2b08 100644
--- a/tests/integration/features/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/integration/features/conftest.py
@@ -400,13 +400,15 @@ def check_open_tabs(quteproc, tabs):
 def clipboard_contains(quteproc, httpbin, what, content):
     expected = content.replace('(port)', str(httpbin.port))
     expected = expected.replace('\\n', '\n')
-    quteproc.wait_for(message='Setting fake {}: {!r}'.format(what, expected))
+    quteproc.wait_for(message='Setting fake {}: {!r}'.format(
+        what, json.dumps(expected)))
 
 
 @bdd.then(bdd.parsers.parse('the clipboard should contain:\n{content}'))
 def clipboard_contains_multiline(quteproc, content):
     expected = textwrap.dedent(content)
-    quteproc.wait_for(message='Setting fake clipboard: {!r}'.format(expected))
+    quteproc.wait_for(message='Setting fake clipboard: {}'.format(
+        json.dumps(expected)))
 
 
 @bdd.then("qutebrowser should quit")
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_utils.py
index 23bd5b301..b38e1ca3b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_utils.py
@@ -953,15 +953,17 @@ class TestGetSetClipboard:
         with pytest.raises(utils.SelectionUnsupportedError):
             utils.set_clipboard('foo', selection=True)
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize('selection, what', [
-        (True, 'primary selection'),
-        (False, 'clipboard'),
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('selection, what, text, expected', [
+        (True, 'primary selection', 'fake text', 'fake text'),
+        (False, 'clipboard', 'fake text', 'fake text'),
+        (False, 'clipboard', 'füb', r'f\u00fcb'),
     ])
-    def test_set_logging(self, clipboard_mock, caplog, selection, what):
+    def test_set_logging(self, clipboard_mock, caplog, selection, what,
+                         text, expected):
         utils.log_clipboard = True
-        utils.set_clipboard('fake clipboard text', selection=selection)
+        utils.set_clipboard(text, selection=selection)
         assert not clipboard_mock.setText.called
-        expected = "Setting fake {}: 'fake clipboard text'".format(what)
+        expected = 'Setting fake {}: "{}"'.format(what, expected)
         assert caplog.records[0].message == expected
 
     def test_get(self):