diff --git a/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py b/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
index bf01a6097..e64021ca5 100644
--- a/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
+++ b/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
@@ -197,17 +197,17 @@ class Query(_Base):
             msg = _('Failed to convert the metadata value %(value)s'
                     ' to the expected data type %(type)s.') % \
                 {'value': self.value, 'type': self.type}
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(msg)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(msg))
         except TypeError:
             msg = _('The data type %s is not supported. The supported'
                     ' data type list is: integer, float, boolean and'
                     ' string.') % (self.type)
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(msg)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(msg))
         except Exception:
             msg = _('Unexpected exception converting %(value)s to'
                     ' the expected data type %(type)s.') % \
                 {'value': self.value, 'type': self.type}
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(msg)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(msg))
         return converted_value
 
 
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ class MeterController(rest.RestController):
         if period and period < 0:
             error = _("Period must be positive.")
             pecan.response.translatable_error = error
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(error)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(error))
 
         kwargs = _query_to_kwargs(q, storage.SampleFilter.__init__)
         kwargs['meter'] = self._id
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ class ResourcesController(rest.RestController):
             pecan.response.translatable_error = error
             raise wsme.exc.InvalidInput("resource_id",
                                         resource_id,
-                                        error)
+                                        unicode(error))
         return Resource.from_db_and_links(resources[0],
                                           self._resource_links(resource_id))
 
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ class AlarmController(rest.RestController):
         if len(alarms) < 1:
             error = _("Unknown alarm")
             pecan.response.translatable_error = error
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(error)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(error))
         return alarms[0]
 
     def _record_change(self, data, now, on_behalf_of=None, type=None):
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ class AlarmsController(rest.RestController):
         if len(alarms) > 0:
             error = _("Alarm with that name exists")
             pecan.response.translatable_error = error
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(error)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(error))
 
         try:
             kwargs = data.as_dict(storage.models.Alarm)
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ class AlarmsController(rest.RestController):
             LOG.exception(ex)
             error = _("Alarm incorrect")
             pecan.response.translatable_error = error
-            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(error)
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(unicode(error))
 
         alarm = conn.create_alarm(alarm_in)
         self._record_creation(conn, change, alarm.alarm_id, now)
diff --git a/tests/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py b/tests/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
index ea5196483..aa289c892 100644
--- a/tests/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
+++ b/tests/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
             'statistic': 'avg',
             'repeat_actions': True,
         }
-        self.post_json('/alarms', params=json, status=200,
+        self.post_json('/alarms', params=json, status=201,
                        headers=self.auth_headers)
         alarms = list(self.conn.get_alarms())
         self.assertEqual(4, len(alarms))
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
 
         self.delete('/alarms/%s' % data[0]['alarm_id'],
                     headers=self.auth_headers,
-                    status=200)
+                    status=204)
         alarms = list(self.conn.get_alarms())
         self.assertEqual(2, len(alarms))
 
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
     def _delete_alarm(self, alarm, auth_headers=None):
         self.delete('/alarms/%s' % alarm['alarm_id'],
                     headers=auth_headers or self.auth_headers,
-                    status=200)
+                    status=204)
 
     def _assert_is_subset(self, expected, actual):
         for k, v in expected.iteritems():
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
                          comparison_operator='le',
                          threshold=42.0,
                          statistic='max')
-        self.post_json('/alarms', params=new_alarm, status=200,
+        self.post_json('/alarms', params=new_alarm, status=201,
                        headers=self.auth_headers)
         alarm = self.get_json('/alarms')[3]
         history = self._get_alarm_history(alarm)
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
                          comparison_operator='le',
                          threshold=42.0,
                          statistic='max')
-        self.post_json('/alarms', params=new_alarm, status=200,
+        self.post_json('/alarms', params=new_alarm, status=201,
                        headers=member_auth)
         alarm = self.get_json('/alarms', headers=member_auth)[0]
 
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ class TestAlarms(FunctionalTest,
         alarm = self._get_alarm('a')
         self.delete('/alarms/%s' % alarm['alarm_id'],
                     headers=self.auth_headers,
-                    status=200)
+                    status=204)
         history = self._get_alarm_history(alarm)
         self.assertEqual(2, len(history))
         self._assert_is_subset(dict(alarm_id=alarm['alarm_id'],