diff --git a/axes/decorators.py b/axes/decorators.py
index 12556e8..342b898 100644
--- a/axes/decorators.py
+++ b/axes/decorators.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from axes.models import AccessLog
 from axes.models import AccessAttempt
 from axes.signals import user_locked_out
 import axes
+import six
 
 
 # see if the user has overridden the failure limit
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ def query2str(items):
     kvs = []
     for k, v in items:
         if k != 'password':
-            kvs.append(u'%s=%s' % (k, v))
+            kvs.append(six.u('%s=%s') % (k, v))
 
     return '\n'.join(kvs)
 
diff --git a/axes/models.py b/axes/models.py
index f29a3a6..f077827 100644
--- a/axes/models.py
+++ b/axes/models.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from django.db import models
-
+import six
 
 class CommonAccess(models.Model):
     user_agent = models.CharField(
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class AccessAttempt(CommonAccess):
         return self.failures_since_start
 
     def __unicode__(self):
-        return u'Attempted Access: %s' % self.attempt_time
+        return six.u('Attempted Access: %s') % self.attempt_time
 
 
 class AccessLog(CommonAccess):
@@ -69,4 +69,4 @@ class AccessLog(CommonAccess):
     )
 
     def __unicode__(self):
-        return u'Access Log for %s @ %s' % (self.username, self.attempt_time)
+        return six.u('Access Log for %s @ %s') % (self.username, self.attempt_time)