diff --git a/daemon/core/api/grpc/core_pb2.py b/daemon/core/api/grpc/core_pb2.py
index d1531404..c59d19a4 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/grpc/core_pb2.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/grpc/core_pb2.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # Generated by the protocol buffer compiler.  DO NOT EDIT!
 # source: core/api/grpc/core.proto
 
diff --git a/daemon/core/api/tlv/coreapi.py b/daemon/core/api/tlv/coreapi.py
index 8d2b5ebf..218dbdf8 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/tlv/coreapi.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/tlv/coreapi.py
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ CORE API messaging is leveraged for communication with the GUI.
 
 import socket
 import struct
+from past.builtins import basestring
 
 from enum import Enum
 
+from core.api.tlv import structutils
 from core.emulator.enumerations import ConfigTlvs
 from core.emulator.enumerations import EventTlvs
 from core.emulator.enumerations import EventTypes
@@ -23,7 +25,6 @@ from core.emulator.enumerations import MessageTypes
 from core.emulator.enumerations import NodeTlvs
 from core.emulator.enumerations import RegisterTlvs
 from core.emulator.enumerations import SessionTlvs
-from core.api.tlv import structutils
 from core.nodes.ipaddress import IpAddress
 from core.nodes.ipaddress import MacAddress
 
@@ -176,8 +177,8 @@ class CoreTlvDataString(CoreTlvData):
         :return: length of data packed and the packed data
         :rtype: tuple
         """
-        if not isinstance(value, str):
-            raise ValueError("value not a string: %s" % value)
+        if not isinstance(value, basestring):
+            raise ValueError("value not a string: %s" % type(value))
         value = value.encode("utf-8")
 
         if len(value) < 256:
diff --git a/daemon/core/api/tlv/structutils.py b/daemon/core/api/tlv/structutils.py
index 02f46583..affca97a 100644
--- a/daemon/core/api/tlv/structutils.py
+++ b/daemon/core/api/tlv/structutils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Utilities for working with python struct data.
 """
 
 import logging
+from past.builtins import basestring
 
 
 def pack_values(clazz, packers):
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ def pack_values(clazz, packers):
 
         # only pack actual values and avoid packing empty strings
         # protobuf defaults to empty strings and does no imply a value to set
-        if value is None or (isinstance(value, str) and not value):
+        if value is None or (isinstance(value, basestring) and not value):
             continue
 
         # transform values as needed
diff --git a/daemon/core/emane/commeffect.py b/daemon/core/emane/commeffect.py
index e9d9c9fe..109262e8 100644
--- a/daemon/core/emane/commeffect.py
+++ b/daemon/core/emane/commeffect.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ commeffect.py: EMANE CommEffect model for CORE
 
 import logging
 import os
-
 from lxml import etree
+from past.builtins import basestring
 
 from core.config import ConfigGroup
 from core.emane import emanemanifest
diff --git a/daemon/core/utils.py b/daemon/core/utils.py
index 2a3cfdd3..1b53662d 100644
--- a/daemon/core/utils.py
+++ b/daemon/core/utils.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import os
 import shlex
 import subprocess
 import sys
+from past.builtins import basestring
 
 from core import CoreCommandError
 
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ def split_args(args):
     :rtype: list
     """
     logging.info("split args: %s - %s", args, type(args))
-    if isinstance(args, str):
+    if isinstance(args, basestring):
         logging.info("splitting args")
         args = shlex.split(args)
     return args