diff --git a/client_encryption/api_encryption.py b/client_encryption/api_encryption.py
index 11384da..51808fc 100644
--- a/client_encryption/api_encryption.py
+++ b/client_encryption/api_encryption.py
@@ -133,7 +133,10 @@ def decrypt_field_level_payload(headers, conf, body):
                 return body
 
         decrypted_body = decrypt_field_level(body, conf, params)
-        payload = json.dumps(decrypted_body).encode('utf-8')
+        try:
+            payload = json.dumps(decrypted_body).encode('utf-8')
+        except:
+            payload = decrypted_body
 
         return payload
 
diff --git a/client_encryption/version.py b/client_encryption/version.py
index b14f593..57dd1b5 100644
--- a/client_encryption/version.py
+++ b/client_encryption/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-__version__ = "1.20.0"
+__version__ = "1.21.0"