diff --git a/osxphotos/__main__.py b/osxphotos/__main__.py
index 8e4749f4..023c401a 100644
--- a/osxphotos/__main__.py
+++ b/osxphotos/__main__.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import pathlib
 import pprint
 import sys
 import time
+import unicodedata
 
 import click
 import yaml
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ from pathvalidate import (
 
 import osxphotos
 
-from ._constants import _EXIF_TOOL_URL, _PHOTOS_4_VERSION, _UNKNOWN_PLACE
+from ._constants import _EXIF_TOOL_URL, _PHOTOS_4_VERSION, _UNKNOWN_PLACE, UNICODE_FORMAT
 from ._export_db import ExportDB, ExportDBInMemory
 from ._version import __version__
 from .datetime_formatter import DateTimeFormatter
@@ -40,9 +41,21 @@ OSXPHOTOS_EXPORT_DB = ".osxphotos_export.db"
 
 
 def verbose(*args, **kwargs):
+    """ print output if verbose flag set """
     if VERBOSE:
         click.echo(*args, **kwargs)
 
+def normalize_unicode(value):
+    """ normalize unicode data """
+    if value is not None:
+        if isinstance(value, tuple):
+            return tuple(unicodedata.normalize(UNICODE_FORMAT, v) for v in value)
+        elif isinstance(value, str):
+            return unicodedata.normalize(UNICODE_FORMAT, value)
+        else:
+            return value
+    else:
+        return None
 
 def get_photos_db(*db_options):
     """ Return path to photos db, select first non-None db_options
@@ -1863,6 +1876,15 @@ def _query(
             to_date=to_date,
         )
 
+    person = normalize_unicode(person)
+    keyword = normalize_unicode(keyword)
+    album = normalize_unicode(album)
+    folder = normalize_unicode(folder)
+    title = normalize_unicode(title)
+    description = normalize_unicode(description)
+    place = normalize_unicode(place)
+    label = normalize_unicode(label)
+    
     if album:
         photos = get_photos_by_attribute(photos, "albums", album, ignore_case)
 
diff --git a/osxphotos/_constants.py b/osxphotos/_constants.py
index 82b0c578..fde74c14 100644
--- a/osxphotos/_constants.py
+++ b/osxphotos/_constants.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ from datetime import datetime
 # Apple Epoch is Jan 1, 2001
 TIME_DELTA = (datetime(2001, 1, 1, 0, 0) - datetime(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0)).total_seconds()
 
+# Unicode format to use for comparing strings
+UNICODE_FORMAT = "NFC"
+
 # which Photos library database versions have been tested
 # Photos 2.0 (10.12.6) == 2622
 # Photos 3.0 (10.13.6) == 3301
diff --git a/osxphotos/_version.py b/osxphotos/_version.py
index 80d20f8d..22cb5725 100644
--- a/osxphotos/_version.py
+++ b/osxphotos/_version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """ version info """
 
-__version__ = "0.33.6"
+__version__ = "0.33.7"
diff --git a/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_faceinfo.py b/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_faceinfo.py
index 53212ce5..7f386f64 100644
--- a/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_faceinfo.py
+++ b/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_faceinfo.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import logging
 
 from .._constants import _DB_TABLE_NAMES, _PHOTOS_4_VERSION
-from ..utils import _open_sql_file
+from ..utils import _open_sql_file, normalize_unicode
 from .photosdb_utils import get_db_version
 
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def _process_faceinfo_4(photosdb):
         face["asset_uuid"] = asset_uuid
         face["uuid"] = row[2]
         face["person"] = person_id
-        face["fullname"] = row[3]
+        face["fullname"] = normalize_unicode(row[3])
         face["sourcewidth"] = row[7]
         face["sourceheight"] = row[8]
         face["centerx"] = row[9]
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ def _process_faceinfo_5(photosdb):
         face["asset_uuid"] = asset_uuid
         face["uuid"] = row[2]
         face["person"] = person_pk
-        face["fullname"] = row[4]
+        face["fullname"] = normalize_unicode(row[4])
         face["agetype"] = row[5]
         face["baldtype"] = row[6]
         face["eyemakeuptype"] = row[7]
diff --git a/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_searchinfo.py b/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_searchinfo.py
index fd948c87..6f5aec08 100644
--- a/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_searchinfo.py
+++ b/osxphotos/photosdb/_photosdb_process_searchinfo.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import uuid as uuidlib
 from pprint import pformat
 
 from .._constants import _PHOTOS_4_VERSION, SEARCH_CATEGORY_LABEL
-from ..utils import _db_is_locked, _debug, _open_sql_file
+from ..utils import _db_is_locked, _debug, _open_sql_file, normalize_unicode
 
 """
     This module should be imported in the class defintion of PhotosDB in photosdb.py
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ def _process_searchinfo(self):
         record["groupid"] = row[3]
         record["category"] = row[4]
         record["owning_groupid"] = row[5]
-        record["content_string"] = row[6].replace("\x00", "")
-        record["normalized_string"] = row[7].replace("\x00", "")
+        record["content_string"] = normalize_unicode(row[6].replace("\x00", ""))
+        record["normalized_string"] = normalize_unicode(row[7].replace("\x00", ""))
         record["lookup_identifier"] = row[8]
 
         try:
@@ -147,9 +147,10 @@ def _process_searchinfo(self):
             "_db_searchinfo_labels_normalized: \n"
             + pformat(self._db_searchinfo_labels_normalized)
         )
-    
+
     conn.close()
 
+
 @property
 def labels(self):
     """ return list of all search info labels found in the library """
diff --git a/osxphotos/photosdb/photosdb.py b/osxphotos/photosdb/photosdb.py
index ed178b50..144898ae 100644
--- a/osxphotos/photosdb/photosdb.py
+++ b/osxphotos/photosdb/photosdb.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ from ..utils import (
     _get_os_version,
     _open_sql_file,
     get_last_library_path,
+    normalize_unicode,
 )
 from .photosdb_utils import get_db_model_version, get_db_version
 
@@ -713,7 +714,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
         for album in c:
             self._dbalbum_details[album[0]] = {
                 "_uuid": album[0],
-                "title": album[1],
+                "title": normalize_unicode(album[1]),
                 "cloudlibrarystate": album[2],
                 "cloudidentifier": album[3],
                 "intrash": False if album[4] == 0 else True,
@@ -760,7 +761,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
             self._dbfolder_details[uuid] = {
                 "_uuid": row[0],
                 "modelId": row[1],
-                "name": row[2],
+                "name": normalize_unicode(row[2]),
                 "isMagic": row[3],
                 "intrash": row[4],
                 "folderType": row[5],
@@ -963,7 +964,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["volumeId"] = row[10]
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["imagePath"] = row[11]
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["extendedDescription"] = row[12]
-            self._dbphotos[uuid]["name"] = row[13]
+            self._dbphotos[uuid]["name"] = normalize_unicode(row[13])
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["isMissing"] = row[14]
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["originalFilename"] = row[15]
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["favorite"] = row[16]
@@ -1608,7 +1609,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
         for album in c:
             self._dbalbum_details[album[0]] = {
                 "_uuid": album[0],
-                "title": album[1],
+                "title": normalize_unicode(album[1]),
                 "cloudlocalstate": album[2],
                 "cloudownerfirstname": album[3],
                 "cloudownderlastname": album[4],
@@ -1683,12 +1684,13 @@ class PhotosDB:
                 JOIN ZKEYWORD ON ZKEYWORD.Z_PK = {keyword_join} """
         )
         for keyword in c:
+            keyword_title = normalize_unicode(keyword[0])
             if not keyword[1] in self._dbkeywords_uuid:
                 self._dbkeywords_uuid[keyword[1]] = []
-            if not keyword[0] in self._dbkeywords_keyword:
-                self._dbkeywords_keyword[keyword[0]] = []
+            if not keyword_title in self._dbkeywords_keyword:
+                self._dbkeywords_keyword[keyword_title] = []
             self._dbkeywords_uuid[keyword[1]].append(keyword[0])
-            self._dbkeywords_keyword[keyword[0]].append(keyword[1])
+            self._dbkeywords_keyword[keyword_title].append(keyword[1])
 
         if _debug():
             logging.debug(f"Finished walking through keywords")
@@ -1795,7 +1797,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
             info["modelID"] = None
             info["masterUuid"] = None
             info["masterFingerprint"] = row[1]
-            info["name"] = row[2]
+            info["name"] = normalize_unicode(row[2])
 
             # There are sometimes negative values for lastmodifieddate in the database
             # I don't know what these mean but they will raise exception in datetime if
@@ -2027,7 +2029,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
         for row in c:
             uuid = row[0]
             if uuid in self._dbphotos:
-                self._dbphotos[uuid]["extendedDescription"] = row[1]
+                self._dbphotos[uuid]["extendedDescription"] = normalize_unicode(row[1])
             else:
                 if _debug():
                     logging.debug(
diff --git a/osxphotos/placeinfo.py b/osxphotos/placeinfo.py
index 7c52d987..18de2a0c 100644
--- a/osxphotos/placeinfo.py
+++ b/osxphotos/placeinfo.py
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ from collections import namedtuple  # pylint: disable=syntax-error
 import yaml
 from bpylist import archiver
 
+from ._constants import UNICODE_FORMAT
+from .utils import normalize_unicode
+
 # postal address information, returned by PlaceInfo.address
 PostalAddress = namedtuple(
     "PostalAddress",
@@ -76,12 +79,12 @@ class PLRevGeoLocationInfo:
         geoServiceProvider,
         postalAddress,
     ):
-        self.addressString = addressString
+        self.addressString = normalize_unicode(addressString)
         self.countryCode = countryCode
         self.mapItem = mapItem
         self.isHome = isHome
-        self.compoundNames = compoundNames
-        self.compoundSecondaryNames = compoundSecondaryNames
+        self.compoundNames = normalize_unicode(compoundNames)
+        self.compoundSecondaryNames = normalize_unicode(compoundSecondaryNames)
         self.version = version
         self.geoServiceProvider = geoServiceProvider
         self.postalAddress = postalAddress
@@ -183,7 +186,7 @@ class PLRevGeoMapItemAdditionalPlaceInfo:
 
     def __init__(self, area, name, placeType, dominantOrderType):
         self.area = area
-        self.name = name
+        self.name = normalize_unicode(name)
         self.placeType = placeType
         self.dominantOrderType = dominantOrderType
 
@@ -232,13 +235,13 @@ class CNPostalAddress:
         _subLocality,
     ):
         self._ISOCountryCode = _ISOCountryCode
-        self._city = _city
-        self._country = _country
-        self._postalCode = _postalCode
-        self._state = _state
-        self._street = _street
-        self._subAdministrativeArea = _subAdministrativeArea
-        self._subLocality = _subLocality
+        self._city = normalize_unicode(_city)
+        self._country = normalize_unicode(_country)
+        self._postalCode = normalize_unicode(_postalCode)
+        self._state = normalize_unicode(_state)
+        self._street = normalize_unicode(_street)
+        self._subAdministrativeArea = normalize_unicode(_subAdministrativeArea)
+        self._subLocality = normalize_unicode(_subLocality)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return all(
@@ -414,9 +417,9 @@ class PlaceInfo4(PlaceInfo):
             #   2: type
             #   3: area
             try:
-                places_dict[p[2]].append((p[1], p[3]))
+                places_dict[p[2]].append((normalize_unicode(p[1]), p[3]))
             except KeyError:
-                places_dict[p[2]] = [(p[1], p[3])]
+                places_dict[p[2]] = [(normalize_unicode(p[1]), p[3])]
 
         # build list to populate PlaceNames tuple
         # initialize with empty lists for each field in PlaceNames
diff --git a/osxphotos/utils.py b/osxphotos/utils.py
index 28f7bb83..2ec3f4bb 100644
--- a/osxphotos/utils.py
+++ b/osxphotos/utils.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import sqlite3
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import unicodedata
 import urllib.parse
 from plistlib import load as plistload
 
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ import CoreServices
 import objc
 from Foundation import *
 
+from ._constants import UNICODE_FORMAT
 from .fileutil import FileUtil
 
 _DEBUG = False
@@ -352,3 +354,13 @@ def _db_is_locked(dbname):
 #     attr = xattr.xattr(filepath)
 #     uuid_bytes = bytes(uuid, 'utf-8')
 #     attr.set(OSXPHOTOS_XATTR_UUID, uuid_bytes)
+
+
+def normalize_unicode(value):
+    """ normalize unicode data """
+    if value is not None:
+        if not isinstance(value, str):
+            raise ValueError("value must be str")
+        return unicodedata.normalize(UNICODE_FORMAT, value)
+    else:
+        return None
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-shm b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-shm
index 49f2dac9..a5e29bd3 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-shm and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-shm differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-wal b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-wal
index 0bf6febb..a7b92702 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-wal and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite-wal differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite.lock b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite.lock
index 5b4d48b7..5b9b78f5 100644
--- a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite.lock
+++ b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/database/Photos.sqlite.lock
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 	<key>hostuuid</key>
 	<string>9575E48B-8D5F-5654-ABAC-4431B1167324</string>
 	<key>pid</key>
-	<integer>1847</integer>
+	<integer>1942</integer>
 	<key>processname</key>
 	<string>photolibraryd</string>
 	<key>uid</key>
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/CLSLocationCache.sqlite-shm b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/CLSLocationCache.sqlite-shm
index 8f27ed5e..eb0386c2 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/CLSLocationCache.sqlite-shm and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/CLSLocationCache.sqlite-shm differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/changetoken.plist b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/changetoken.plist
index 8eb87588..3af2e280 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/changetoken.plist and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photoanalysisd/caches/graph/changetoken.plist differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photolibraryd/caches/clientservertransaction/87554DE2-780A-4ED2-83B2-324CCE3DEE45 b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photolibraryd/caches/clientservertransaction/87554DE2-780A-4ED2-83B2-324CCE3DEE45
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5142c798
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/private/com.apple.photolibraryd/caches/clientservertransaction/87554DE2-780A-4ED2-83B2-324CCE3DEE45 differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Album-change.plj b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Album-change.plj
index b20737cd..5ef0bce4 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Album-change.plj and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Album-change.plj differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Folder-change.plj b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Folder-change.plj
index bfc0debb..f70ba701 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Folder-change.plj and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/Folder-change.plj differ
diff --git a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/HistoryToken.plist b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/HistoryToken.plist
index 8b132c68..55617142 100644
Binary files a/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/HistoryToken.plist and b/tests/Test-10.15.6.photoslibrary/resources/journals/HistoryToken.plist differ
diff --git a/tests/test_catalina_10_15_6.py b/tests/test_catalina_10_15_6.py
index 0ae421d4..ca942446 100644
--- a/tests/test_catalina_10_15_6.py
+++ b/tests/test_catalina_10_15_6.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ ALBUMS = [
     "Raw",
     "I have a deleted twin",  # there's an empty album with same name that has been deleted
     "EmptyAlbum",
+    "2018-10 - Sponsion, Museum, Frühstück, Römermuseum",
 ]
 KEYWORDS_DICT = {
     "Kids": 4,
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ ALBUM_DICT = {
     "Raw": 4,
     "I have a deleted twin": 1,
     "EmptyAlbum": 0,
+    "2018-10 - Sponsion, Museum, Frühstück, Römermuseum": 1,
 }  # Note: there are 2 albums named "Test Album" for testing duplicate album names
 
 UUID_DICT = {
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 065f932d..b9d672b9 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES = [
 
 CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES_ALBUM = ["Pumkins1.jpg", "Pumkins2.jpg", "Pumpkins3.jpg"]
 
+CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES_ALBUM_UNICODE = ["IMG_4547.jpg"]
+
 CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES_DELETED_TWIN = ["wedding.jpg", "wedding_edited.jpeg"]
 
 CLI_EXPORT_EDITED_SUFFIX = "_bearbeiten"
@@ -451,7 +453,6 @@ def test_query_uuid():
             "--json",
             "--db",
             os.path.join(cwd, CLI_PHOTOS_DB),
-            # "./tests/Test-10.15.1.photoslibrary",
             "--uuid",
             "D79B8D77-BFFC-460B-9312-034F2877D35B",
         ],
@@ -1816,6 +1817,26 @@ def test_export_album():
         files = glob.glob("*")
         assert sorted(files) == sorted(CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES_ALBUM)
 
+def test_export_album_unicode_name():
+    """Test export of an album with non-English characters in name """
+    import glob
+    import os
+    import os.path
+    from osxphotos.__main__ import export
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    cwd = os.getcwd()
+    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
+    with runner.isolated_filesystem():
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            export,
+            [os.path.join(cwd, PHOTOS_DB_15_6), ".", "--album", "2018-10 - Sponsion, Museum, Frühstück, Römermuseum", "-V"],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        files = glob.glob("*")
+        assert sorted(files) == sorted(CLI_EXPORT_FILENAMES_ALBUM_UNICODE)
+
+
 
 def test_export_album_deleted_twin():
     """Test export of an album where album of same name has been deleted """