diff --git a/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/StringConstraint.php b/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/StringConstraint.php
index 44313cb2..724a8103 100644
--- a/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/StringConstraint.php
+++ b/src/JsonSchema/Constraints/StringConstraint.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public function check($element, $schema = null, JsonPointer $path = null, $i = n
         }
 
         // Verify a regex pattern
-        if (isset($schema->pattern) && !preg_match('#' . str_replace('#', '\\#', $schema->pattern) . '#', $element)) {
+        if (isset($schema->pattern) && !preg_match('#' . str_replace('#', '\\#', $schema->pattern) . '#u', $element)) {
             $this->addError($path, "Does not match the regex pattern " . $schema->pattern, 'pattern', array(
                 'pattern' => $schema->pattern,
             ));
diff --git a/tests/Constraints/PatternTest.php b/tests/Constraints/PatternTest.php
index f28a5790..0f69b9ad 100644
--- a/tests/Constraints/PatternTest.php
+++ b/tests/Constraints/PatternTest.php
@@ -35,7 +35,17 @@ public function getInvalidTests()
                     },
                     "additionalProperties": false
                 }'
-            )
+            ),
+            array(
+                '{"value": "ü"}',
+                '{
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "properties": {
+                        "value": {"type": "string", "pattern": "^ü$"}
+                    },
+                    "additionalProperties": false
+                }'
+            ),
         );
     }
 
@@ -75,6 +85,16 @@ public function getValidTests()
                     },
                     "additionalProperties": false
                 }'
+            ),
+            array(
+                '{"value": "↓æ→"}',
+                '{
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "properties": {
+                        "value": {"type": "string", "pattern": "^↓æ.$"}
+                    },
+                    "additionalProperties": false
+                }'
             )
         );
     }