diff --git a/src/calibre/__init__.py b/src/calibre/__init__.py
index 737fa0b383..e44f8d8ec6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/__init__.py
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ def prints(*args, **kwargs):
                             raise
                         arg = repr(arg)
 
-        file.write(arg)
+        try:
+            file.write(arg)
+        except:
+            file.write(repr(arg))
         if i != len(args)-1:
             file.write(sep)
     file.write(end)