diff --git a/src/plone/api/content.py b/src/plone/api/content.py
index 9671f91..12f5600 100644
--- a/src/plone/api/content.py
+++ b/src/plone/api/content.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ def create(
 
     try:
         container.invokeFactory(type, content_id, **kwargs)
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        # UnicodeDecodeError is a subclass of ValueError,
+        # so will be swallowed below unless we re-raise it here
+        raise
     except ValueError, e:
         if ISiteRoot.providedBy(container):
             allowed_types = container.allowedContentTypes()