diff --git a/ChangeLog.txt b/ChangeLog.txt
index f5533d6..c0eec27 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.txt
+++ b/ChangeLog.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 ** Release Notes
 
+1.5.62
+  * protection against non-ASCII args
+
 1.5.61
   * fixed changes in 1.5.60
 
diff --git a/pandaclient/Client.py b/pandaclient/Client.py
index 5e82f75..7ba8cf7 100755
--- a/pandaclient/Client.py
+++ b/pandaclient/Client.py
@@ -1997,7 +1997,8 @@ def get_events_status(ids, verbose=False):
 def update_events(events, verbose=False):
     """Update events
        args:
-          events: a list of {'eventRangeID': ..., 'eventStatus': ..., 'errorCode': <optional>}
+          events: a list of {'eventRangeID': ..., 'eventStatus': ...,
+                             'errorCode': <optional>, 'errorDiag': <optional, < 500chars>}
           verbose: True to see verbose message
        returns:
           status code
@@ -2012,7 +2013,8 @@ def update_events(events, verbose=False):
     curl.verbose = verbose
     # execute
     url = baseURLSSL + '/updateEventRanges'
-    data = {'eventRanges': json.dumps(events)}
+    data = {'eventRanges': json.dumps(events),
+            'version': 2}
     status, output = curl.post(url, data, is_json=True)
     if status != 0:
         return EC_Failed, output
diff --git a/pandaclient/Group_argparse.py b/pandaclient/Group_argparse.py
index 35e6c98..76cc398 100644
--- a/pandaclient/Group_argparse.py
+++ b/pandaclient/Group_argparse.py
@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
 import argparse
 import sys
 from collections import OrderedDict
+try:
+    unicode
+except Exception:
+    unicode = str
+
+
+# check string args if they can be encoded with utf-8
+class ActionWithUnicodeCheck(argparse.Action):
+    def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
+        if isinstance(values, (unicode, str)):
+            try:
+                values.encode()
+            except Exception:
+                parser.exit(1, message="ERROR: argument --{0} cannot be encoded with utf-8: '{1}'\n".format(self.dest, values))
+        setattr(namespace, self.dest, values)
+
 
 class GroupArgParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
     def __init__(self, usage, conflict_handler):
@@ -86,3 +102,10 @@ def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
              else:
                 raise Exception("!!!ERROR!!! Unknown group name=%s" % values)
              sys.exit(0)
+
+
+# factory method
+def get_parser(usage, conflict_handler):
+    p = GroupArgParser(usage, conflict_handler)
+    p.register('action', 'store', ActionWithUnicodeCheck)
+    return p
diff --git a/pandaclient/PandaToolsPkgInfo.py b/pandaclient/PandaToolsPkgInfo.py
index c311bb2..94832fc 100644
--- a/pandaclient/PandaToolsPkgInfo.py
+++ b/pandaclient/PandaToolsPkgInfo.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-release_version = "1.5.61"
+release_version = "1.5.62"
diff --git a/pandaclient/PathenaScript.py b/pandaclient/PathenaScript.py
index d58fb9f..70d70df 100644
--- a/pandaclient/PathenaScript.py
+++ b/pandaclient/PathenaScript.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import shutil
 import atexit
 import argparse
-from pandaclient.Group_argparse import GroupArgParser
+from pandaclient.Group_argparse import get_parser
 import random
 import pickle
 import json
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
   "-l"
 ]
 
-optP = GroupArgParser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
+optP = get_parser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
 optP.set_examples(examples)
 
 # define option groups
diff --git a/pandaclient/PchainScript.py b/pandaclient/PchainScript.py
index 7921d47..05b99eb 100644
--- a/pandaclient/PchainScript.py
+++ b/pandaclient/PchainScript.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import shlex
 import atexit
 
-from pandaclient.Group_argparse import GroupArgParser
+from pandaclient.Group_argparse import get_parser
 from pandaclient import PLogger
 from pandaclient import PandaToolsPkgInfo
 from pandaclient import MiscUtils
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def main():
     usage = """pchain [options]
     """
 
-    optP = GroupArgParser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
+    optP = get_parser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
 
     group_output = optP.add_group('output', 'output dataset/files')
     group_config = optP.add_group('config', 'workflow configuration')
diff --git a/pandaclient/PhpoScript.py b/pandaclient/PhpoScript.py
index 6371726..6d63d56 100644
--- a/pandaclient/PhpoScript.py
+++ b/pandaclient/PhpoScript.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import copy
 import atexit
 
-from pandaclient.Group_argparse import GroupArgParser
+from pandaclient.Group_argparse import get_parser
 from pandaclient import PLogger
 from pandaclient import PandaToolsPkgInfo
 from pandaclient import MiscUtils
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def main(get_taskparams=False, ext_args=None, dry_mode=False):
     usage = """phpo [options]
     """
 
-    optP = GroupArgParser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
+    optP = get_parser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
 
     group_input = optP.add_group('input', 'input dataset(s)/files/format')
     group_output = optP.add_group('output', 'output dataset/files')
diff --git a/pandaclient/PrunScript.py b/pandaclient/PrunScript.py
index 575d0fd..cfba09d 100644
--- a/pandaclient/PrunScript.py
+++ b/pandaclient/PrunScript.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import argparse
 import time
 
-from pandaclient.Group_argparse import GroupArgParser
+from pandaclient.Group_argparse import get_parser
 try:
     from urllib import quote
 except ImportError:
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def main(get_taskparams=False, ext_args=None, dry_mode=False):
       "--useSiteGroup"
     ]
 
-    optP = GroupArgParser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
+    optP = get_parser(usage=usage, conflict_handler="resolve")
     optP.set_examples(examples)
 
     # command-line parameters