diff --git a/cgi-bin/webnotes/profile.py b/cgi-bin/webnotes/profile.py
index bb9a201da2..3fe1eec59d 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/webnotes/profile.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/webnotes/profile.py
@@ -176,12 +176,14 @@ class Profile:
 		Update the user's `Recent` list with the given `dt` and `dn`
 		"""
 		conn = webnotes.conn
+		from webnotes.utils import cstr
 	
 		# get list of child tables, so we know what not to add in the recent list
 		child_tables = [t[0] for t in conn.sql('select name from tabDocType where istable = 1')]
+		
 		if not (dt in ['Print Format', 'Start Page', 'Event', 'ToDo Item', 'Search Criteria']) and not webnotes.is_testing and not (dt in child_tables):
-			r = webnotes.conn.sql("select recent_documents from tabProfile where name=%s", self.name)[0][0] or ''
-			new_str = dt+'~~~'+dn + '\n'
+			r = cstr(webnotes.conn.sql("select recent_documents from tabProfile where name=%s", self.name)[0][0] or '')
+			new_str = cstr(dt)+'~~~'+cstr(dn) + '\n'
 			if new_str in r:
 				r = r.replace(new_str, '')