diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
index 0d4faf61493..750f1540516 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from ansible.playbook.task import Task
 from ansible.plugins import action_loader
 from ansible.plugins.strategy import StrategyBase
 from ansible.template import Templar
+from ansible.utils.unicode import to_unicode
 
 try:
     from __main__ import display
@@ -330,7 +331,7 @@ class StrategyModule(StrategyBase):
                             for host in included_file._hosts:
                                 self._tqm._failed_hosts[host.name] = True
                                 iterator.mark_host_failed(host)
-                            display.error(e, wrap_text=False)
+                            display.error(to_unicode(e), wrap_text=False)
                             include_failure = True
                             continue