diff --git a/.git-blame-ignore-revs b/.git-blame-ignore-revs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/forms.py b/debug_toolbar/forms.py
index 61444b43c..ca9d1a9b0 100644
--- a/debug_toolbar/forms.py
+++ b/debug_toolbar/forms.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 from django import forms
 from django.core import signing
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
+
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
 
 
 class SignedDataForm(forms.Form):
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/panels/settings.py b/debug_toolbar/panels/settings.py
index 68ab44c0b..4f91e39fa 100644
--- a/debug_toolbar/panels/settings.py
+++ b/debug_toolbar/panels/settings.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django.views.debug import get_default_exception_reporter_filter
 
 from debug_toolbar.panels import Panel
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
 
 get_safe_settings = get_default_exception_reporter_filter().get_safe_settings
 
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/panels/sql/tracking.py b/debug_toolbar/panels/sql/tracking.py
index 45e0c0c17..2cda76d1a 100644
--- a/debug_toolbar/panels/sql/tracking.py
+++ b/debug_toolbar/panels/sql/tracking.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 from time import perf_counter
 
 import django.test.testcases
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
 from debug_toolbar.utils import get_stack_trace, get_template_info
 
 try:
@@ -128,10 +128,7 @@ def _decode(self, param):
 
         # make sure datetime, date and time are converted to string by force_str
         CONVERT_TYPES = (datetime.datetime, datetime.date, datetime.time)
-        try:
-            return force_str(param, strings_only=not isinstance(param, CONVERT_TYPES))
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            return "(encoded string)"
+        return force_str(param, strings_only=not isinstance(param, CONVERT_TYPES))
 
     def _last_executed_query(self, sql, params):
         """Get the last executed query from the connection."""
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/panels/templates/panel.py b/debug_toolbar/panels/templates/panel.py
index 6dbd02ee0..da9c28207 100644
--- a/debug_toolbar/panels/templates/panel.py
+++ b/debug_toolbar/panels/templates/panel.py
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@
 from django.test.signals import template_rendered
 from django.test.utils import instrumented_test_render
 from django.urls import path
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 
 from debug_toolbar.panels import Panel
 from debug_toolbar.panels.sql.tracking import SQLQueryTriggered, allow_sql
 from debug_toolbar.panels.templates import views
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
 
 if find_spec("jinja2"):
     from debug_toolbar.panels.templates.jinja2 import patch_jinja_render
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/sanitize.py b/debug_toolbar/sanitize.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4aaaa1a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debug_toolbar/sanitize.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from django.utils.encoding import DjangoUnicodeDecodeError, force_str as force_string
+
+
+def force_str(s, *args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Forces values to strings.
+    Will return "Django Debug Toolbar was unable to parse value." when there's a decoding error.
+    """
+    try:
+        return force_string(s, *args, **kwargs)
+    except DjangoUnicodeDecodeError:
+        return "Django Debug Toolbar was unable to parse value."
diff --git a/debug_toolbar/store.py b/debug_toolbar/store.py
index 02a2a0f72..b4e32788d 100644
--- a/debug_toolbar/store.py
+++ b/debug_toolbar/store.py
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 
 from django.core.serializers.json import DjangoJSONEncoder
 from django.db import transaction
-from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
 
 from debug_toolbar import settings as dt_settings
 from debug_toolbar.models import HistoryEntry
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
 
 
 class DebugToolbarJSONEncoder(DjangoJSONEncoder):
diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index 352b4f946..667251b4f 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ Pending
 * Upgraded CI ``postgis`` version to 17-3.5.
 * Added how to generate the documentation locally to the contributing
   documentation.
+* Updated logic that forces values to strings (``force_str``) to render
+  "Django Debug Toolbar was unable to parse value." when there's a decoding
+  error.
 
 6.0.0 (2025-07-22)
 ------------------
diff --git a/tests/test_sanitize.py b/tests/test_sanitize.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..539980bd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_sanitize.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import unittest
+
+from debug_toolbar.sanitize import force_str
+
+
+class ForceStrTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_success_convert(self):
+        input = 0
+
+        self.assertEqual(force_str(input), "0")
+
+    def test_failed_convert(self):
+        input = bytes.fromhex(
+            "a3f2b8c14e972d5a8fb3c7291a64e0859c472bf63d18a0945e73b2c84f917ae2"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            force_str(input), "Django Debug Toolbar was unable to parse value."
+        )