diff --git a/lib/hyrax/migrator/crosswalk_metadata.rb b/lib/hyrax/migrator/crosswalk_metadata.rb
index 06e8f33..7c10fbe 100644
--- a/lib/hyrax/migrator/crosswalk_metadata.rb
+++ b/lib/hyrax/migrator/crosswalk_metadata.rb
@@ -109,7 +109,11 @@ def rescue_and_retry_datetime(object, error)
       raise DateTimeDataError, object
     end
 
+    # don't raise error here, allow child classes to handle
+    # =~ is a special match operator that returns an index or nil
     def valid_uri(uri)
+      return nil unless uri.ascii_only?
+
       uri =~ URI.regexp(%w[http https])
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/hyrax/migrator/services/crosswalk_metadata_service_spec.rb b/spec/hyrax/migrator/services/crosswalk_metadata_service_spec.rb
index 9bfbdd9..b85d983 100644
--- a/spec/hyrax/migrator/services/crosswalk_metadata_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/hyrax/migrator/services/crosswalk_metadata_service_spec.rb
@@ -127,12 +127,17 @@
 
   describe 'attributes_data' do
     let(:rdfobject) { RDF::Literal('blah blah') }
+    let(:rdfobject2) { RDF::URI('http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/subject/Flügelhorn') }
     let(:error) { URI::InvalidURIError }
 
-    it 'raises an error' do
+    it 'raises an error if there is a string when it should be a uri' do
       expect { service.send(:attributes_data, rdfobject) }.to raise_error(error)
     end
 
+    it 'raises an error if the uri contains non-ascii characters' do
+      expect { service.send(:attributes_data, rdfobject2) }.to raise_error(error)
+    end
+
     context 'when skip field mode is enabled' do
       before do
         config.skip_field_mode = true