diff --git a/build_tools/i18n/fonts.py b/build_tools/i18n/fonts.py
index e125e59b2fc..7f10c1098d9 100644
--- a/build_tools/i18n/fonts.py
+++ b/build_tools/i18n/fonts.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import argparse
 import base64
 import functools
-import io
 import json
 import logging
 import mimetypes
@@ -354,7 +353,7 @@ def _write_inline_font(file_object, font_path, font_family, weight):
     """
     Inlines a font as base64 encoding within a CSS file
     """
-    with io.open(font_path, mode="rb") as f:
+    with open(font_path, mode="rb") as f:
         data = f.read()
     data_uri = "data:application/x-font-woff;charset=utf-8;base64,\\\n{}".format(
         "\\\n".join(_chunks(base64.b64encode(data).decode()))
@@ -417,7 +416,7 @@ def _get_lang_strings(locale_dir):
             continue
 
         file_path = os.path.join(locale_dir, file_name)
-        with io.open(file_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        with open(file_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             lang_strings = json.load(f).values()
 
         for s in lang_strings:
diff --git a/build_tools/i18n/utils.py b/build_tools/i18n/utils.py
index 4b96ec773b3..9c64772761c 100644
--- a/build_tools/i18n/utils.py
+++ b/build_tools/i18n/utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 import functools
-import io
 import json
 import logging
 import os
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ def available_languages():
     Returns all available languages including English and in-context language.
     Callers should filter as needed.
     """
-    with io.open(LANGUAGE_INFO_PATH, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+    with open(LANGUAGE_INFO_PATH, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         return json.load(f)
 
 
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ def json_dump_formatted(data, file_path):
         os.makedirs(dir_name)
 
     # Format and write the JSON file
-    with io.open(file_path, mode="w+", encoding="utf-8") as file_object:
+    with open(file_path, mode="w+", encoding="utf-8") as file_object:
         # Manage unicode for the JSON dumping
         json.dump(
             data,
diff --git a/docker/entrypoint.py b/docker/entrypoint.py
index 2a5e0a15669..b5c22d4661c 100644
--- a/docker/entrypoint.py
+++ b/docker/entrypoint.py
@@ -13,13 +13,9 @@
 import re
 import subprocess
 import sys
-
-
-# py2+py3 compatible imports via http://python-future.org/compatible_idioms.html
-try:
-    from urllib.request import Request, build_opener, HTTPRedirectHandler
-except ImportError:
-    from urllib2 import Request, HTTPRedirectHandler, build_opener
+from urllib.request import build_opener
+from urllib.request import HTTPRedirectHandler
+from urllib.request import Request
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
diff --git a/kolibri/core/analytics/test/test_utils.py b/kolibri/core/analytics/test/test_utils.py
index df5d6b11815..5fb63d651a9 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/analytics/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/analytics/test/test_utils.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 import csv
 import datetime
 import hashlib
-import io
 import os
 import random
 import uuid
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ def setUpTestData(cls):
 
         # Load in the user data from the csv file to give a predictable source of user data
         data_path = os.path.join(USER_CSV_PATH)
-        with io.open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        with open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             users = [data for data in csv.DictReader(f)]
 
         cls.facilities = user_data.get_or_create_facilities(
diff --git a/kolibri/core/auth/constants/facility_presets.py b/kolibri/core/auth/constants/facility_presets.py
index f0d826ad370..51464c8a210 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/auth/constants/facility_presets.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/auth/constants/facility_presets.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import io
 import json
 import os
 
 presets_file = os.path.abspath(
     os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "./facility_configuration_presets.json")
 )
-with io.open(presets_file, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+with open(presets_file, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
     presets = json.load(f)
 
 choices = [(key, key) for key in presets]
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/generate_schema.py b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/generate_schema.py
index 269a8516d84..fb18261589c 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/generate_schema.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/management/commands/generate_schema.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import inspect
-import io
 import json
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -137,7 +136,7 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
             metadata, False, True, True, True, False, nocomments=False
         )
 
-        with io.open(
+        with open(
             SQLALCHEMY_CLASSES_PATH_TEMPLATE.format(
                 name=coerce_version_name_to_valid_module_path(version)
             ),
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
                 data[table_name] = [get_dict(r) for r in session.query(record).all()]
 
             data_path = DATA_PATH_TEMPLATE.format(name=version)
-            with io.open(data_path, mode="w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            with open(data_path, mode="w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 json.dump(data, f)
 
             shutil.rmtree(
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_channel_import.py b/kolibri/core/content/test/test_channel_import.py
index aedff2adf33..2dd1eaef739 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/test/test_channel_import.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/test/test_channel_import.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import io
 import json
 import logging
 import os
@@ -420,7 +419,7 @@ def set_content_fixture(self, db_path_mock):
         metadata = load_metadata(self.schema_name)
 
         data_path = DATA_PATH_TEMPLATE.format(name=self.data_name)
-        with io.open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        with open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             data = json.load(f)
 
         metadata.bind = self.content_engine
@@ -536,7 +535,7 @@ def alternate_existing_channel(request):
 class ContentImportDataTestBase(ContentImportTestBase):
     def set_content_fixture(self):
         data_path = DATA_PATH_TEMPLATE.format(name=self.data_name)
-        with io.open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        with open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             data = json.load(f)
         self.content_engine = create_engine("sqlite://")
 
@@ -553,7 +552,7 @@ def set_content_fixture(self):
 class ContentImportPartialChannelDataTestBase(ContentImportTestBase):
     def set_content_fixture(self):
         data_path = DATA_PATH_TEMPLATE.format(name=self.data_name)
-        with io.open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
+        with open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as fp:
             data = json.load(fp)
         self.content_engine = create_engine("sqlite://")
 
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py b/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
index 04d0b4943ed..ec73fb1af3a 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/utils/paths.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import io
 import os
 import re
 
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ def get_zip_content_base_path():
 def get_sandbox_html_filename():
     global SANDBOX_FILENAME
     if SANDBOX_FILENAME is None or getattr(settings, "DEVELOPER_MODE", None):
-        with io.open(
+        with open(
             os.path.abspath(
                 os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../build/sandbox_filename")
             ),
diff --git a/kolibri/core/content/utils/stopwords.py b/kolibri/core/content/utils/stopwords.py
index dfa1cb56c1c..1541cbae252 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/content/utils/stopwords.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/content/utils/stopwords.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import io
 import json
 import os
 
@@ -8,7 +7,7 @@
         os.path.dirname(__file__), os.path.pardir, "constants", "stopwords-all.json"
     )
 )
-with io.open(stopwords_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+with open(stopwords_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
     stopwords = json.load(f)
 
 # load into a set
diff --git a/kolibri/core/deviceadmin/utils.py b/kolibri/core/deviceadmin/utils.py
index 9c3bc6940a5..73c2799a1b4 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/deviceadmin/utils.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/deviceadmin/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import io
 import logging
 import os
 import re
@@ -103,9 +102,8 @@ def dbbackup(old_version, dest_folder=None):
 
     backup_path = os.path.join(dest_folder, fname)
 
-    # Setting encoding=utf-8: io.open() is Python 2 compatible
     # See: https://github.com/learningequality/kolibri/issues/2875
-    with io.open(backup_path, **KWARGS_IO_WRITE) as f:
+    with open(backup_path, **KWARGS_IO_WRITE) as f:
         # If the connection hasn't been opened yet, then open it
         if not db.connections["default"].connection:
             db.connections["default"].connect()
@@ -138,7 +136,6 @@ def dbrestore(from_file):
     else:
         logger.info("In memory database, not truncating: {}".format(dst_file))
 
-    # Setting encoding=utf-8: io.open() is Python 2 compatible
     # See: https://github.com/learningequality/kolibri/issues/2875
     with open(from_file, **KWARGS_IO_READ) as f:
         db.connections["default"].connect()
diff --git a/kolibri/core/logger/management/commands/generateuserdata.py b/kolibri/core/logger/management/commands/generateuserdata.py
index 099f3731634..112930026bf 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/logger/management/commands/generateuserdata.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/logger/management/commands/generateuserdata.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import csv
-import io
 import logging
 import os
 import random
@@ -111,7 +110,7 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
         data_path = os.path.abspath(
             os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "user_data.csv")
         )
-        with io.open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        with open(data_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             user_data = [data for data in csv.DictReader(f)]
 
         n_seed = options["seed"]
diff --git a/kolibri/core/sqlite/utils.py b/kolibri/core/sqlite/utils.py
index fdd01196a1a..535eef1b155 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/sqlite/utils.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/sqlite/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import io
 import logging
 import os
 import sqlite3
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ def repair_sqlite_db(connection):
     # now, let's try to repair it, if possible:
     # os.remove(original_path)
     fixed_db_path = "{}.2".format(original_path)
-    with io.open(fixed_db_path, **KWARGS_IO_WRITE) as f:
+    with open(fixed_db_path, **KWARGS_IO_WRITE) as f:
         # If the connection hasn't been opened yet, then open it
         try:
             for line in connection.connection.iterdump():
diff --git a/kolibri/core/utils/nothing.py b/kolibri/core/utils/nothing.py
index 336a9099d76..1f7f28b2d24 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/utils/nothing.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/utils/nothing.py
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@ def __init__(self, kind=None):
     def __repr__(self):
         return "Nothing(%s)" % self.kind
 
-    def __nonzero__(self):
+    def __bool__(self):
         return False
 
-    __bool__ = __nonzero__  # this is for python3
-
     def __eq__(self, other):
         try:
             return self.kind == other.kind
diff --git a/kolibri/core/webpack/hooks.py b/kolibri/core/webpack/hooks.py
index c61d9d16e21..53dcd1bf254 100644
--- a/kolibri/core/webpack/hooks.py
+++ b/kolibri/core/webpack/hooks.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 you should put them in ``yourapp/assets/src``.
 """
 import codecs
-import io
 import json
 import logging
 import os
@@ -176,7 +175,7 @@ def frontend_messages(self):
         lang_code = get_language()
         frontend_message_file = self.frontend_message_file(lang_code)
         if frontend_message_file:
-            with io.open(frontend_message_file, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            with open(frontend_message_file, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 message_file_content = json.load(f)
             return message_file_content
 
diff --git a/kolibri/plugins/qti_viewer/kolibri_plugin.py b/kolibri/plugins/qti_viewer/kolibri_plugin.py
index 6f9f9df2983..04752095786 100644
--- a/kolibri/plugins/qti_viewer/kolibri_plugin.py
+++ b/kolibri/plugins/qti_viewer/kolibri_plugin.py
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-from __future__ import absolute_import
-from __future__ import print_function
-from __future__ import unicode_literals
-
 from le_utils.constants import format_presets
 
 from kolibri.core.content import hooks as content_hooks
diff --git a/kolibri/utils/i18n.py b/kolibri/utils/i18n.py
index 74e2c578c2f..589c14fa161 100644
--- a/kolibri/utils/i18n.py
+++ b/kolibri/utils/i18n.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 import importlib
-import io
 import json
 import locale
 import os
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ def _get_language_info():
     file_path = os.path.abspath(
         os.path.join(os.path.dirname(kolibri.__file__), "locale", "language_info.json")
     )
-    with io.open(file_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+    with open(file_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
         languages = json.load(f)
         output = {}
         for language in languages:
diff --git a/kolibri/utils/pskolibri/common.py b/kolibri/utils/pskolibri/common.py
index 829c61f3676..ae012013f4a 100644
--- a/kolibri/utils/pskolibri/common.py
+++ b/kolibri/utils/pskolibri/common.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import functools
-import io
 import os
 import sys
 from collections import namedtuple
@@ -129,7 +128,7 @@ def cache_deactivate():
 
 
 def open_binary(fname, **kwargs):
-    return io.open(fname, "rb", **kwargs)
+    return open(fname, "rb", **kwargs)
 
 
 def open_text(fname, **kwargs):
@@ -138,4 +137,4 @@ def open_text(fname, **kwargs):
     """
     kwargs.setdefault("encoding", ENCODING)
     kwargs.setdefault("errors", ENCODING_ERRS)
-    return io.open(fname, "rt", **kwargs)
+    return open(fname, "rt", **kwargs)