diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index 9c562045800..b1e3ca7dd69 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from thirdparty import six
 
 # sqlmap version (<major>.<minor>.<month>.<monthly commit>)
-VERSION = "1.10.8.52"
+VERSION = "1.10.8.53"
 TYPE = "dev" if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] != '0' else "stable"
 TYPE_COLORS = {"dev": 33, "stable": 90, "pip": 34}
 VERSION_STRING = "sqlmap/%s#%s" % ('.'.join(VERSION.split('.')[:-1]) if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] == '0' else VERSION, TYPE)
diff --git a/lib/utils/hash.py b/lib/utils/hash.py
index 1b587c99ee8..8841508b283 100644
--- a/lib/utils/hash.py
+++ b/lib/utils/hash.py
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def oracle_old_passwd(password, username, uppercase=True):  # prior to version '
 
     IV, pad = b"\0" * 8, b"\0"
 
-    unistr = b"".join((b"\0" + _.encode(UNICODE_ENCODING)) if ord(_) < 256 else _.encode(UNICODE_ENCODING) for _ in (username + password).upper())
+    unistr = b"".join((b"\0" + _.encode(UNICODE_ENCODING)) if ord(_) < 256 else _.encode(UNICODE_ENCODING) for _ in (getUnicode(username) + getUnicode(password)).upper())
 
     if des.__module__ == "Crypto.Cipher.DES":
         unistr += b"\0" * ((8 - len(unistr) % 8) & 7)