diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sms/notify.py b/homeassistant/components/sms/notify.py
index 13f9cfc9f72..71ec04c5ef1 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sms/notify.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sms/notify.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import logging
 
 import gammu  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
-from homeassistant.components.notify import BaseNotificationService
+from homeassistant.components.notify import ATTR_DATA, BaseNotificationService
 from homeassistant.const import CONF_TARGET
 
 from .const import CONF_UNICODE, DOMAIN, GATEWAY, SMS_GATEWAY
@@ -42,7 +42,14 @@ class SMSNotificationService(BaseNotificationService):
             _LOGGER.error("No target number specified, cannot send message")
             return
 
-        is_unicode = kwargs.get(CONF_UNICODE, True)
+        extended_data = kwargs.get(ATTR_DATA)
+        _LOGGER.debug("Extended data:%s", extended_data)
+
+        if extended_data is None:
+            is_unicode = True
+        else:
+            is_unicode = extended_data.get(CONF_UNICODE, True)
+
         smsinfo = {
             "Class": -1,
             "Unicode": is_unicode,