diff --git a/bpython/curtsiesfrontend/replpainter.py b/bpython/curtsiesfrontend/replpainter.py
index 36c9c1324..16babde9d 100644
--- a/bpython/curtsiesfrontend/replpainter.py
+++ b/bpython/curtsiesfrontend/replpainter.py
@@ -25,11 +25,15 @@ def display_linize(msg, columns, blank_line=False):
     """Returns lines obtained by splitting msg over multiple lines.
 
     Warning: if msg is empty, returns an empty list of lines"""
-    display_lines = ([msg[start:end]
-                      for start, end in zip(
-                          range(0, len(msg), columns),
-                          range(columns, len(msg) + columns, columns))]
-                     if msg else ([''] if blank_line else []))
+    msg = fmtstr(msg)
+    try:
+        display_lines = ([msg.width_aware_slice(slice(start, end))
+                          for start, end in zip(
+                              range(0, msg.width, columns),
+                              range(columns, msg.width + columns, columns))]
+                          if msg else ([''] if blank_line else []))
+    except ValueError:
+        display_lines = ['']
     return display_lines