diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/efi_utils.py b/ironic_python_agent/efi_utils.py
index 48e643d3f..6fc8dff19 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/efi_utils.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/efi_utils.py
@@ -275,8 +275,15 @@ def get_boot_records():
 
     :return: an iterator yielding pairs (boot number, boot record).
     """
-    efi_output = utils.execute('efibootmgr', '-v')
-    for line in efi_output[0].split('\n'):
+    # Invokes binary=True so we get a bytestream back.
+    efi_output = utils.execute('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True)
+    # Bytes must be decoded before regex can be run and
+    # matching to work as intended.
+    # Also ignore errors on decoding, as we can basically get
+    # garbage out of the nvram record, this way we don't fail
+    # hard on unrelated records.
+    cmd_output = efi_output[0].decode('utf-16', errors='ignore')
+    for line in cmd_output.split('\n'):
         match = _ENTRY_LABEL.match(line)
         if match is not None:
             yield (match[1], match[2])
@@ -293,7 +300,7 @@ def add_boot_record(device, efi_partition, loader, label):
     # https://linux.die.net/man/8/efibootmgr
     utils.execute('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', device,
                   '-p', str(efi_partition), '-w', '-L', label,
-                  '-l', loader)
+                  '-l', loader, binary=True)
 
 
 def remove_boot_record(boot_num):
@@ -301,7 +308,7 @@ def remove_boot_record(boot_num):
 
     :param boot_num: the number of the boot record
     """
-    utils.execute('efibootmgr', '-b', boot_num, '-B')
+    utils.execute('efibootmgr', '-b', boot_num, '-B', binary=True)
 
 
 def _run_efibootmgr(valid_efi_bootloaders, device, efi_partition,
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_image.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_image.py
index 2444e30d1..54fc9dd43 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_image.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_image.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 from ironic_python_agent.tests.unit import base
 
 
+EFI_RESULT = ''.encode('utf-16')
+
+
 @mock.patch.object(hardware, 'dispatch_to_managers', autospec=True)
 @mock.patch.object(ilib_utils, 'execute', autospec=True)
 @mock.patch.object(tempfile, 'mkdtemp', lambda *_: '/tmp/fake-dir')
@@ -230,7 +233,7 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_given_partition(
 
         mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '--version'),
@@ -239,11 +242,11 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_given_partition(
                     mock.call('udevadm', 'settle'),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -278,7 +281,7 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_find_partition(
         mock_efi_bl.return_value = ['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI']
         mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '--version'),
@@ -287,11 +290,11 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_find_partition(
                     mock.call('udevadm', 'settle'),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -332,10 +335,11 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_with_entry_removal(
 Boot0001 ironic2 HD(1,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-111111111112)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
 Boot0002 VENDMAGIC FvFile(9f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b51)
 """  # noqa This is a giant literal string for testing.
+        stdout_msg = stdout_msg.encode('utf-16')
         mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         (stdout_msg, ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+                                         (stdout_msg, ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '--version'),
@@ -344,12 +348,12 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_with_entry_removal(
                     mock.call('udevadm', 'settle'),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0000', '-B'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0000', '-B', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -395,6 +399,7 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_with_entry_removal_lenovo(
 Boot0003* Network       VenHw(1fad3248-0000-7950-2166-a1e506fdb83a,05000000)..GO..NO............U.E.F.I.:. . . .S.L.O.T.2. .(.2.F./.0./.0.). .P.X.E. .I.P.4. . .Q.L.o.g.i.c. .Q.L.4.1.2.6.2. .P.C.I.e. .2.5.G.b. .2.-.P.o.r.t. .S.F.P.2.8. .E.t.h.e.r.n.e.t. .A.d.a.p.t.e.r. .-. .P.X.E........A....................%.4..Z...............................................................Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.P.X.E. .I.P.4. .Q.L.o.g.i.c. .Q.L.4.1.2.6.2. .P.C.I.e. .2.5.G.b. .2.-.P.o.r.t. .S.F.P.2.8. .E.t.h.e.r.n.e.t. .A.d.a.p.t.e.r. .-. .P.X.E.......BO..NO............U.E.F.I.:. . . .S.L.O.T.1. .(.3.0./.0./.0.). .P.X.E. .I.P.4. . .Q.L.o.g.i.c. .Q.L.4.1.2.6.2. .P.C.I.e. .2.5.G.b. .2.-.P.o.r.t. .S.F.P.2.8. .E.t.h.e.r.n.e.t. .A.d.a.p.t.e.r. .-.
 Boot0004* ironic1      HD(1,GPT,55db8d03-c8f6-4a5b-9155-790dddc348fa,0x800,0x64000)/File(\EFI\boot\shimx64.efi)
 """  # noqa This is a giant literal string for testing.
+        stdout_msg = stdout_msg.encode('utf-16')
         mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          (stdout_msg, ''), ('', ''),
@@ -406,13 +411,13 @@ def test__uefi_bootloader_with_entry_removal_lenovo(
                     mock.call('udevadm', 'settle'),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0000', '-B'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0004', '-B'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0000', '-B', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0004', '-B', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -449,8 +454,8 @@ def test__add_multi_bootloaders(
 
         mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '--version'),
@@ -459,15 +464,15 @@ def test__add_multi_bootloaders(
                     mock.call('udevadm', 'settle'),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic2', '-l',
-                              '\\WINDOWS\\system32\\winload.efi'),
+                              '\\WINDOWS\\system32\\winload.efi', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_efi_utils.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_efi_utils.py
index 64de61bce..09e897966 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_efi_utils.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_efi_utils.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 from ironic_python_agent import utils
 
 
+EFI_RESULT = ''.encode('utf-16')
+
+
 @mock.patch.object(os, 'walk', autospec=True)
 @mock.patch.object(os, 'access', autospec=False)
 class TestGetEfiBootloaders(base.IronicAgentTest):
@@ -115,16 +118,16 @@ def test__run_efibootmgr_no_bootloaders(self, mock_execute):
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls(expected)
 
     def test__run_efibootmgr(self, mock_execute):
-        mock_execute.return_value = ('', '')
+        mock_execute.return_value = (''.encode('utf-16'), '')
         result = efi_utils._run_efibootmgr(['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI'],
                                            self.fake_dev,
                                            self.fake_efi_system_part,
                                            self.fake_dir)
-        expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+        expected = [mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', self.fake_efi_system_part, '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI')]
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True)]
         self.assertIsNone(result)
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls(expected)
 
@@ -176,19 +179,18 @@ def test_ok(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
         mock_is_md_device.return_value = False
 
         mock_efi_bl.return_value = ['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI']
-
-        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -219,30 +221,34 @@ def test_found_csv(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
         # at the start of the file, where as Red Hat *does*
         csv_file_data = u'shimx64.efi,Vendor String,,Grub2MadeUSDoThis\n'
         # This test also handles deleting a pre-existing matching vendor
-        # string in advance.
+        # string in advance. This string also includes a UTF16 character
+        # *on* purpose, to force proper decoding to be tested and garbage
+        # characters which can be found in OVMF test VM NVRAM records.
         dupe_entry = """
 BootCurrent: 0001
 Timeout: 0 seconds
 BootOrder: 0000,00001
-Boot0000* Vendor String HD(1,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b5c)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
-Boot0001 Vendor String HD(2,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b5c)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
-Boot0002: VENDMAGIC FvFile(9f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b51)
+Boot0000 UTF16ÿ HD(1,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b5c)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
+Boot0001* Vendor String HD(1,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b5c)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
+Boot0002 Vendor String HD(2,GPT,4f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b5c)File(\EFI\Boot\BOOTX64.EFI)
+Boot0003: VENDMAGIC FvFile(9f3c6294-bf9b-4208-9808-be45dfc34b51)N.....YM....R,Y.
 """  # noqa This is a giant literal string for testing.
-
-        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), (dupe_entry, ''),
+        dupe_entry = dupe_entry.encode('utf-16')
+        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''),
+                                         (dupe_entry, ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0000', '-B'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0001', '-B'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0001', '-B', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-b', '0002', '-B', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'Vendor String', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\vendor\\shimx64.efi'),
+                              '\\EFI\\vendor\\shimx64.efi', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -266,19 +272,18 @@ def test_nvme_device(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
         mock_is_md_device.return_value = False
 
         mock_efi_bl.return_value = ['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI']
-
-        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', '/dev/fakenvme0p1',
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', '/dev/fakenvme0',
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -301,19 +306,18 @@ def test_wholedisk(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
         mock_is_md_device.return_value = False
 
         mock_efi_bl.return_value = ['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI']
-
-        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', ''), ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', self.fake_dev,
                               '-p', '1', '-w',
                               '-L', 'ironic1', '-l',
-                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -347,11 +351,14 @@ def test_software_raid(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
         mock_get_component_devices.return_value = ['/dev/sda3', '/dev/sdb3']
 
         mock_efi_bl.return_value = ['EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI']
-
-        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
-                                         ('', ''), ('', ''),
+        mock_execute.side_effect = iter([('', ''),
+                                         ('', ''),
+                                         ('', ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         (EFI_RESULT, ''),
+                                         ('', ''),
                                          ('', '')])
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
@@ -360,14 +367,14 @@ def test_software_raid(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl, mock_is_md_device,
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', '/dev/sda3',
                               '-p', '3', '-w', '-L', 'ironic1 (RAID, part0)',
-                              '-l', '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                              '-l', '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', '-c', '-d', '/dev/sdb3',
                               '-p', '3', '-w', '-L', 'ironic1 (RAID, part1)',
-                              '-l', '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI'),
+                              '-l', '\\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -425,7 +432,7 @@ def test_failure_after_mount(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl,
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True),
                     mock.call('sync')]
@@ -462,7 +469,7 @@ def test_failure_after_failure(self, mkdir_mock, mock_efi_bl,
 
         expected = [mock.call('mount', self.fake_efi_system_part,
                               self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi'),
-                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v'),
+                    mock.call('efibootmgr', '-v', binary=True),
                     mock.call('umount', self.fake_dir + '/boot/efi',
                               attempts=3, delay_on_retry=True)]
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fixes-efibootmgr-character-encoding-19e531ba694824c1.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fixes-efibootmgr-character-encoding-19e531ba694824c1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4c3270cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fixes-efibootmgr-character-encoding-19e531ba694824c1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes UEFI NVRAM record handling with efibootmgr so we can accept and
+    handle UTF-16 encoded data which is to be expected in UEFI NVRAM as
+    the records are UTF-16 encoded.
+  - |
+    Fixes handling of UEFI NVRAM records to allow for unexpected characters
+    in the response, so it is non-fatal to Ironic.