diff --git a/changelog/5478.bugfix.rst b/changelog/5478.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9e80a88e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/5478.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Use safe_str to serialize Exceptions in pytest.raises
diff --git a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
index 8c73ccc6a..e621f3ee0 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/_code/code.py
@@ -572,8 +572,9 @@ class ExceptionInfo(object):
         raised.
         """
         __tracebackhide__ = True
-        if not re.search(regexp, str(self.value)):
-            assert 0, "Pattern '{!s}' not found in '{!s}'".format(regexp, self.value)
+        value = safe_str(self.value)
+        if not re.search(regexp, value):
+            assert 0, "Pattern '{!s}' not found in '{!s}'".format(regexp, value)
         return True
 
 
diff --git a/testing/python/raises.py b/testing/python/raises.py
index cd463d74b..db34c6624 100644
--- a/testing/python/raises.py
+++ b/testing/python/raises.py
@@ -278,3 +278,7 @@ class TestRaises(object):
                 with pytest.raises(CrappyClass()):
                     pass
             assert "via __class__" in excinfo.value.args[0]
+
+    def test_u(self):
+        with pytest.raises(AssertionError, match=u"\u2603"):
+            assert False, u"\u2603"