diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/controllers/rpc.py b/odoo/addons/base/controllers/rpc.py
index 6154e08d957..e7bd958be40 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/controllers/rpc.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/controllers/rpc.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class OdooMarshaller(xmlrpc.client.Marshaller):
     dispatch[lazy] = dump_lazy
 
     dispatch[Command] = dispatch[int]
-    dispatch[Markup] = dispatch[str]
+    dispatch[Markup] = lambda self, value, write: self.dispatch[str](self, str(value), write)
 
 
 # monkey-patch xmlrpc.client's marshaller
diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/tests/test_xmlrpc.py b/odoo/addons/base/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
index cd635a5b84c..22074deaf97 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
@@ -52,9 +52,15 @@ class TestXMLRPC(common.HttpCase):
         )
 
     def test_xmlrpc_html_field(self):
-        pid = self.xmlrpc('res.partner', 'create', {'name': 'bob', 'comment': 'sucks'})
-        [p] = self.xmlrpc('res.partner', 'read', pid, ['comment'])
-        self.assertEqual(p['comment'], 'sucks')
+        sig = '<p>bork bork bork <span style="font-weight: bork">bork</span><br></p>'
+        r = self.env['res.users'].create({
+            'name': 'bob',
+            'login': 'bob',
+            'signature': sig
+        })
+        self.assertEqual(str(r.signature), sig)
+        [x] = self.xmlrpc('res.users', 'read', r.id, ['signature'])
+        self.assertEqual(x['signature'], sig)
 
     def test_jsonrpc_read_group(self):
         self._json_call(