diff --git a/hc-utils.js b/hc-utils.js
index c415a24..e624016 100644
--- a/hc-utils.js
+++ b/hc-utils.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
         validateMap = {};
     
     var getQueryStringValue = function(key) {
-            return unescape(window.location.search.replace(new RegExp("^(?:.*[&\\?]" + escape(key).replace(/[\.\+\*]/g, "\\$&") + "(?:\\=([^&]*))?)?.*$", "i"), "$1"));
+            return encodeURIComponent(unescape(window.location.search.replace(new RegExp("^(?:.*[&\\?]" + escape(key).replace(/[\.\+\*]/g, "\\$&") + "(?:\\=([^&]*))?)?.*$", "i"), "$1")));
         },
         removeItemFromArray = function(arr, item) {
             if (arr && arr.length) {