diff --git a/django/contrib/syndication/feeds.py b/django/contrib/syndication/feeds.py
index a1f0810..de09e72 100644
--- a/django/contrib/syndication/feeds.py
+++ b/django/contrib/syndication/feeds.py
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ from django.contrib.sites.models import Site, RequestSite
 from django.utils import feedgenerator
 from django.utils.tzinfo import FixedOffset
-from django.utils.encoding import smart_unicode, iri_to_uri
+from django.utils.encoding import smart_unicode, force_unicode, iri_to_uri
 from django.conf import settings         
 from django.template import RequestContext
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ class Feed(object):
             title_tmp = loader.get_template(self.title_template_name)
         except TemplateDoesNotExist:
-            title_tmp = Template('{{ obj }}')
+            title_tmp = None
         try:
             description_tmp = loader.get_template(self.description_template_name)
         except TemplateDoesNotExist:
-            description_tmp = Template('{{ obj }}')
+            description_tmp = None
 
         for item in self.__get_dynamic_attr('items', obj):
@@ -162,8 +162,18 @@ class Feed(object):
                 pubdate = pubdate.replace(tzinfo=FixedOffset(tzOffset))
 
+            if title_tmp:
+              title_str = title_tmp.render(RequestContext(self.request, {'obj': item, 'site': current_site}))
+            else:
+              title_str = force_unicode(item)
+
+            if description_tmp:
+              description_str = description_tmp.render(RequestContext(self.request, {'obj': item, 'site': current_site}))
+            else:
+              description_str = force_unicode(item)
+    
             feed.add_item(
-                title = title_tmp.render(RequestContext(self.request, {'obj': item, 'site': current_site})),
+                title = title_str,
                 link = link,
-                description = description_tmp.render(RequestContext(self.request, {'obj': item, 'site': current_site})),
+                description = description_str,
                 unique_id = self.__get_dynamic_attr('item_guid', item, link),
                 enclosure = enc,