diff --git a/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_events.js b/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_events.js
index 5e8a35e0d..43b0a4b23 100644
--- a/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_events.js
+++ b/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_events.js
@@ -132,16 +132,21 @@ test('beforeShowDay-getDate', function() {
 		dp = $('#ui-datepicker-div');
 	inp.val('01/01/2010').datepicker('show');
 	// contains non-breaking space
-	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(), 'January 2010', 'Initial month');
+	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(),
+		// support: IE <9, jQuery <1.8
+		// In IE7/8 with jQuery <1.8, encoded spaces behave in strange ways
+		$( "<span>January&#xa0;2010</span>" ).text(), 'Initial month');
 	$('a.ui-datepicker-next', dp).click();
 	$('a.ui-datepicker-next', dp).click();
 	// contains non-breaking space
-	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(), 'March 2010', 'After next clicks');
+	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(),
+		$( "<span>March&#xa0;2010</span>" ).text(), 'After next clicks');
 	inp.datepicker('hide').datepicker('show');
 	$('a.ui-datepicker-prev', dp).click();
 	$('a.ui-datepicker-prev', dp).click();
 	// contains non-breaking space
-	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(), 'November 2009', 'After prev clicks');
+	equal($('div.ui-datepicker-title').text(),
+		$( "<span>November&#xa0;2009</span>" ).text(), 'After prev clicks');
 	inp.datepicker('hide');
 });
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_options.js b/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_options.js
index 7d2b070fa..8b8888780 100644
--- a/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_options.js
+++ b/tests/unit/datepicker/datepicker_options.js
@@ -146,7 +146,10 @@ test('otherMonths', function() {
 	var inp = TestHelpers.datepicker.init('#inp'),
 		pop = $('#ui-datepicker-div');
 	inp.val('06/01/2009').datepicker('show');
-	equal(pop.find('tbody').text(), '\u00a0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0',
+	equal(pop.find('tbody').text(),
+		// support: IE <9, jQuery <1.8
+		// In IE7/8 with jQuery <1.8, encoded spaces behave in strange ways
+		$( "<span>\u00a0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0</span>" ).text(),
 		'Other months - none');
 	ok(pop.find('td:last *').length === 0, 'Other months - no content');
 	inp.datepicker('hide').datepicker('option', 'showOtherMonths', true).datepicker('show');
@@ -158,7 +161,10 @@ test('otherMonths', function() {
 		'Other months - select');
 	ok(pop.find('td:last a').length === 1, 'Other months - link content');
 	inp.datepicker('hide').datepicker('option', 'showOtherMonths', false).datepicker('show');
-	equal(pop.find('tbody').text(), '\u00a0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0',
+	equal(pop.find('tbody').text(),
+		// support: IE <9, jQuery <1.8
+		// In IE7/8 with jQuery <1.8, encoded spaces behave in strange ways
+		$( "<span>\u00a0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0</span>" ).text(),
 		'Other months - none');
 	ok(pop.find('td:last *').length === 0, 'Other months - no content');
 });