diff --git a/src/bitmessagecurses/__init__.py b/src/bitmessagecurses/__init__.py
index 64fd735b..c2764d1c 100644
--- a/src/bitmessagecurses/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bitmessagecurses/__init__.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import sys
 import time
 from textwrap import fill
 from threading import Timer
+import six
 
 from dialog import Dialog
 import helper_sent
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ def ascii(s):
     """ASCII values"""
     r = ""
     for c in s:
-        if ord(c) in range(128):
+        if six.byte2int(c) in range(128):
             r += c
     return r
 
@@ -326,13 +327,13 @@ def handlech(c, stdscr):
     if c != curses.ERR:
         global inboxcur, addrcur, sentcur, subcur, abookcur, blackcur
         if c in range(256):
-            if chr(c) in '12345678':
+            if six.int2byte(c) in '12345678':
                 global menutab
-                menutab = int(chr(c))
-            elif chr(c) == 'q':
+                menutab = int(six.int2byte(c))
+            elif six.int2byte(c) == 'q':
                 global quit_
                 quit_ = True
-            elif chr(c) == '\n':
+            elif six.int2byte(c) == '\n':
                 curses.curs_set(1)
                 d = Dialog(dialog="dialog")
                 if menutab == 1:
diff --git a/src/bitmessagekivy/identiconGeneration.py b/src/bitmessagekivy/identiconGeneration.py
index 2e2f2e93..63c58c0d 100644
--- a/src/bitmessagekivy/identiconGeneration.py
+++ b/src/bitmessagekivy/identiconGeneration.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Core classes for loading images and converting them to a Texture.
 The raw image data can be keep in memory for further access
 """
 import hashlib
-from io import BytesIO
+from six import BytesIO
 
 from PIL import Image
 from kivy.core.image import Image as CoreImage
diff --git a/src/fallback/umsgpack/umsgpack.py b/src/fallback/umsgpack/umsgpack.py
index d4c347ca..cac4986f 100644
--- a/src/fallback/umsgpack/umsgpack.py
+++ b/src/fallback/umsgpack/umsgpack.py
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ License: MIT
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 
 import collections
-import io
 import struct
 import sys
 import six
@@ -126,7 +125,7 @@ class Ext:  # pylint: disable=old-style-class
         String representation of this Ext object.
         """
         s = "Ext Object (Type: 0x%02x, Data: " % self.type
-        s += " ".join(["0x%02x" % ord(self.data[i:i + 1])
+        s += " ".join(["0x%02x" % six.byte2int(self.data[i:i + 1])
                        for i in xrange(min(len(self.data), 8))])
         if len(self.data) > 8:
             s += " ..."
@@ -550,7 +549,7 @@ def _packb2(obj, **options):
     '\x82\xa7compact\xc3\xa6schema\x00'
     >>>
     """
-    fp = io.BytesIO()
+    fp = six.BytesIO()
     _pack2(obj, fp, **options)
     return fp.getvalue()
 
@@ -583,7 +582,7 @@ def _packb3(obj, **options):
     b'\x82\xa7compact\xc3\xa6schema\x00'
     >>>
     """
-    fp = io.BytesIO()
+    fp = six.BytesIO()
     _pack3(obj, fp, **options)
     return fp.getvalue()
 
@@ -600,7 +599,7 @@ def _read_except(fp, n):
 
 
 def _unpack_integer(code, fp, options):
-    if (ord(code) & 0xe0) == 0xe0:
+    if (six.byte2int(code) & 0xe0) == 0xe0:
         return struct.unpack("b", code)[0]
     elif code == b'\xd0':
         return struct.unpack("b", _read_except(fp, 1))[0]
@@ -610,7 +609,7 @@ def _unpack_integer(code, fp, options):
         return struct.unpack(">i", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     elif code == b'\xd3':
         return struct.unpack(">q", _read_except(fp, 8))[0]
-    elif (ord(code) & 0x80) == 0x00:
+    elif (six.byte2int(code) & 0x80) == 0x00:
         return struct.unpack("B", code)[0]
     elif code == b'\xcc':
         return struct.unpack("B", _read_except(fp, 1))[0]
@@ -620,21 +619,21 @@ def _unpack_integer(code, fp, options):
         return struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     elif code == b'\xcf':
         return struct.unpack(">Q", _read_except(fp, 8))[0]
-    raise Exception("logic error, not int: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+    raise Exception("logic error, not int: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
 
 def _unpack_reserved(code, fp, options):
     if code == b'\xc1':
         raise ReservedCodeException(
-            "encountered reserved code: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+            "encountered reserved code: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
     raise Exception(
-        "logic error, not reserved code: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        "logic error, not reserved code: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
 
 def _unpack_nil(code, fp, options):
     if code == b'\xc0':
         return None
-    raise Exception("logic error, not nil: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+    raise Exception("logic error, not nil: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
 
 def _unpack_boolean(code, fp, options):
@@ -642,7 +641,7 @@ def _unpack_boolean(code, fp, options):
         return False
     elif code == b'\xc3':
         return True
-    raise Exception("logic error, not boolean: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+    raise Exception("logic error, not boolean: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
 
 def _unpack_float(code, fp, options):
@@ -650,12 +649,12 @@ def _unpack_float(code, fp, options):
         return struct.unpack(">f", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     elif code == b'\xcb':
         return struct.unpack(">d", _read_except(fp, 8))[0]
-    raise Exception("logic error, not float: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+    raise Exception("logic error, not float: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
 
 def _unpack_string(code, fp, options):
-    if (ord(code) & 0xe0) == 0xa0:
-        length = ord(code) & ~0xe0
+    if (six.byte2int(code) & 0xe0) == 0xa0:
+        length = six.byte2int(code) & ~0xe0
     elif code == b'\xd9':
         length = struct.unpack("B", _read_except(fp, 1))[0]
     elif code == b'\xda':
@@ -663,7 +662,7 @@ def _unpack_string(code, fp, options):
     elif code == b'\xdb':
         length = struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     else:
-        raise Exception("logic error, not string: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        raise Exception("logic error, not string: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
     # Always return raw bytes in compatibility mode
     global compatibility
@@ -687,7 +686,7 @@ def _unpack_binary(code, fp, options):
     elif code == b'\xc6':
         length = struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     else:
-        raise Exception("logic error, not binary: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        raise Exception("logic error, not binary: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
     return _read_except(fp, length)
 
@@ -710,9 +709,9 @@ def _unpack_ext(code, fp, options):
     elif code == b'\xc9':
         length = struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     else:
-        raise Exception("logic error, not ext: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        raise Exception("logic error, not ext: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
-    ext = Ext(ord(_read_except(fp, 1)), _read_except(fp, length))
+    ext = Ext(six.byte2int(_read_except(fp, 1)), _read_except(fp, length))
 
     # Unpack with ext handler, if we have one
     ext_handlers = options.get("ext_handlers")
@@ -723,14 +722,14 @@ def _unpack_ext(code, fp, options):
 
 
 def _unpack_array(code, fp, options):
-    if (ord(code) & 0xf0) == 0x90:
-        length = (ord(code) & ~0xf0)
+    if (six.byte2int(code) & 0xf0) == 0x90:
+        length = (six.byte2int(code) & ~0xf0)
     elif code == b'\xdc':
         length = struct.unpack(">H", _read_except(fp, 2))[0]
     elif code == b'\xdd':
         length = struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     else:
-        raise Exception("logic error, not array: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        raise Exception("logic error, not array: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
     return [_unpack(fp, options) for _ in xrange(length)]
 
@@ -742,14 +741,14 @@ def _deep_list_to_tuple(obj):
 
 
 def _unpack_map(code, fp, options):
-    if (ord(code) & 0xf0) == 0x80:
-        length = (ord(code) & ~0xf0)
+    if (six.byte2int(code) & 0xf0) == 0x80:
+        length = (six.byte2int(code) & ~0xf0)
     elif code == b'\xde':
         length = struct.unpack(">H", _read_except(fp, 2))[0]
     elif code == b'\xdf':
         length = struct.unpack(">I", _read_except(fp, 4))[0]
     else:
-        raise Exception("logic error, not map: 0x%02x" % ord(code))
+        raise Exception("logic error, not map: 0x%02x" % six.byte2int(code))
 
     d = {} if not options.get('use_ordered_dict') \
         else collections.OrderedDict()
@@ -912,7 +911,7 @@ def _unpackb2(s, **options):
     """
     if not isinstance(s, (str, bytearray)):
         raise TypeError("packed data must be type 'str' or 'bytearray'")
-    return _unpack(io.BytesIO(s), options)
+    return _unpack(six.BytesIO(s), options)
 
 
 # For Python 3, expects a bytes object
@@ -958,7 +957,7 @@ def _unpackb3(s, **options):
     """
     if not isinstance(s, (bytes, bytearray)):
         raise TypeError("packed data must be type 'bytes' or 'bytearray'")
-    return _unpack(io.BytesIO(s), options)
+    return _unpack(six.BytesIO(s), options)
 
 #############################################################################
 # Module Initialization
diff --git a/src/network/dandelion.py b/src/network/dandelion.py
index e2232082..8bed5bee 100644
--- a/src/network/dandelion.py
+++ b/src/network/dandelion.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class Dandelion:  # pylint: disable=old-style-class
         if logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
             logger.debug(
                 '%s entering fluff mode due to %s.',
-                ''.join('%02x' % ord(i) for i in hashId), reason)
+                ''.join('%02x' % six.byte2int(i) for i in hashId), reason)
         with self.lock:
             try:
                 del self.hashMap[hashId]
diff --git a/src/network/socks4a.py b/src/network/socks4a.py
index e9786168..2df46f06 100644
--- a/src/network/socks4a.py
+++ b/src/network/socks4a.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ SOCKS4a proxy module
 import logging
 import socket
 import struct
+import six
 
 from proxy import GeneralProxyError, Proxy, ProxyError
 
@@ -39,16 +40,16 @@ class Socks4a(Proxy):
     def state_pre_connect(self):
         """Handle feedback from SOCKS4a while it is connecting on our behalf"""
         # Get the response
-        if self.read_buf[0:1] != chr(0x00).encode():
+        if self.read_buf[0:1] != six.int2byte(0x00).encode():
             # bad data
             self.close()
             raise GeneralProxyError(1)
-        elif self.read_buf[1:2] != chr(0x5A).encode():
+        elif self.read_buf[1:2] != six.int2byte(0x5A).encode():
             # Connection failed
             self.close()
-            if ord(self.read_buf[1:2]) in (91, 92, 93):
+            if six.byte2int(self.read_buf[1:2]) in (91, 92, 93):
                 # socks 4 error
-                raise Socks4aError(ord(self.read_buf[1:2]) - 90)
+                raise Socks4aError(six.byte2int(self.read_buf[1:2]) - 90)
             else:
                 raise Socks4aError(4)
         # Get the bound address/port
@@ -102,9 +103,9 @@ class Socks4aConnection(Socks4a):
                 self.append_write_buf(self.ipaddr)
         if self._auth:
             self.append_write_buf(self._auth[0])
-        self.append_write_buf(chr(0x00).encode())
+        self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x00).encode())
         if rmtrslv:
-            self.append_write_buf(self.destination[0] + chr(0x00).encode())
+            self.append_write_buf(self.destination[0] + six.int2byte(0x00).encode())
         self.set_state("pre_connect", length=0, expectBytes=8)
         return True
 
@@ -132,8 +133,8 @@ class Socks4aResolver(Socks4a):
         self.append_write_buf(struct.pack("BBBB", 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01))
         if self._auth:
             self.append_write_buf(self._auth[0])
-        self.append_write_buf(chr(0x00).encode())
-        self.append_write_buf(self.host + chr(0x00).encode())
+        self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x00).encode())
+        self.append_write_buf(self.host + six.int2byte(0x00).encode())
         self.set_state("pre_connect", length=0, expectBytes=8)
         return True
 
diff --git a/src/network/socks5.py b/src/network/socks5.py
index d1daae42..9aaa57cc 100644
--- a/src/network/socks5.py
+++ b/src/network/socks5.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ SOCKS5 proxy module
 import logging
 import socket
 import struct
+import six
 
 from node import Peer
 from proxy import GeneralProxyError, Proxy, ProxyError
@@ -97,20 +98,20 @@ class Socks5(Proxy):
     def state_pre_connect(self):
         """Handle feedback from socks5 while it is connecting on our behalf."""
         # Get the response
-        if self.read_buf[0:1] != chr(0x05).encode():
+        if self.read_buf[0:1] != six.int2byte(0x05).encode():
             self.close()
             raise GeneralProxyError(1)
-        elif self.read_buf[1:2] != chr(0x00).encode():
+        elif self.read_buf[1:2] != six.int2byte(0x00).encode():
             # Connection failed
             self.close()
-            if ord(self.read_buf[1:2]) <= 8:
-                raise Socks5Error(ord(self.read_buf[1:2]))
+            if six.byte2int(self.read_buf[1:2]) <= 8:
+                raise Socks5Error(six.byte2int(self.read_buf[1:2]))
             else:
                 raise Socks5Error(9)
         # Get the bound address/port
-        elif self.read_buf[3:4] == chr(0x01).encode():
+        elif self.read_buf[3:4] == six.int2byte(0x01).encode():
             self.set_state("proxy_addr_1", length=4, expectBytes=4)
-        elif self.read_buf[3:4] == chr(0x03).encode():
+        elif self.read_buf[3:4] == six.int2byte(0x03).encode():
             self.set_state("proxy_addr_2_1", length=4, expectBytes=1)
         else:
             self.close()
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ class Socks5(Proxy):
         (e.g. IPv6, onion, ...). This is part 1 which retrieves the
         length of the data.
         """
-        self.address_length = ord(self.read_buf[0:1])
+        self.address_length = six.byte2int(self.read_buf[0:1])
         self.set_state(
             "proxy_addr_2_2", length=1, expectBytes=self.address_length)
         return True
@@ -171,19 +172,19 @@ class Socks5Connection(Socks5):
         # use the IPv4 address request even if remote resolving was specified.
         try:
             self.ipaddr = socket.inet_aton(self.destination[0])
-            self.append_write_buf(chr(0x01).encode() + self.ipaddr)
+            self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x01).encode() + self.ipaddr)
         except socket.error:  # may be IPv6!
             # Well it's not an IP number,  so it's probably a DNS name.
             if self._remote_dns:
                 # Resolve remotely
                 self.ipaddr = None
-                self.append_write_buf(chr(0x03).encode() + chr(
+                self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x03).encode() + six.int2byte(
                     len(self.destination[0])).encode() + self.destination[0])
             else:
                 # Resolve locally
                 self.ipaddr = socket.inet_aton(
                     socket.gethostbyname(self.destination[0]))
-                self.append_write_buf(chr(0x01).encode() + self.ipaddr)
+                self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x01).encode() + self.ipaddr)
         self.append_write_buf(struct.pack(">H", self.destination[1]))
         self.set_state("pre_connect", length=0, expectBytes=4)
         return True
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ class Socks5Resolver(Socks5):
         """Perform resolving"""
         # Now we can request the actual connection
         self.append_write_buf(struct.pack('BBB', 0x05, 0xF0, 0x00))
-        self.append_write_buf(chr(0x03).encode() + chr(
+        self.append_write_buf(six.int2byte(0x03).encode() + six.int2byte(
             len(self.host)).encode() + str(self.host))
         self.append_write_buf(struct.pack(">H", self.port))
         self.set_state("pre_connect", length=0, expectBytes=4)
diff --git a/src/protocol.py b/src/protocol.py
index 7f9830e5..e300b97a 100644
--- a/src/protocol.py
+++ b/src/protocol.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import sys
 import time
 from binascii import hexlify
 from struct import Struct, pack, unpack
+import six
 
 import defaults
 import highlevelcrypto
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ def checkIPv6Address(host, hostStandardFormat, private=False):
             logger.debug('Ignoring loopback address: %s', hostStandardFormat)
         return False
     try:
-        host = [ord(c) for c in host[:2]]
+        host = [six.byte2int(c) for c in host[:2]]
     except TypeError:  # python3 has ints already
         pass
     if host[0] == 0xfe and host[1] & 0xc0 == 0x80:
diff --git a/src/pyelliptic/arithmetic.py b/src/pyelliptic/arithmetic.py
index 23c24b5e..ce66db98 100644
--- a/src/pyelliptic/arithmetic.py
+++ b/src/pyelliptic/arithmetic.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Arithmetic Expressions
 """
 import hashlib
 import re
+import six
 
 P = 2**256 - 2**32 - 2**9 - 2**8 - 2**7 - 2**6 - 2**4 - 1
 A = 0
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ def get_code_string(base):
         return b'123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz'
     if base == 256:
         try:
-            return b''.join([chr(x) for x in range(256)])
+            return b''.join([six.int2byte(x) for x in range(256)])
         except TypeError:
             return bytes([x for x in range(256)])
 
diff --git a/src/pyelliptic/hash.py b/src/pyelliptic/hash.py
index 70c9a6ce..51ffd623 100644
--- a/src/pyelliptic/hash.py
+++ b/src/pyelliptic/hash.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Wrappers for hash functions from OpenSSL.
 #  Copyright (C) 2011 Yann GUIBET <yannguibet@gmail.com>
 #  See LICENSE for details.
 
+import six
+
 from .openssl import OpenSSL
 
 
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ def _equals_str(a, b):
         return False
     result = 0
     for x, y in zip(a, b):
-        result |= ord(x) ^ ord(y)
+        result |= six.byte2int(x) ^ six.byte2int(y)
     return result == 0
 
 
diff --git a/src/pyelliptic/openssl.py b/src/pyelliptic/openssl.py
index 42c2946d..f1def5d3 100644
--- a/src/pyelliptic/openssl.py
+++ b/src/pyelliptic/openssl.py
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ class _OpenSSL(object):
         length = self.BN_num_bytes(x)
         data = self.malloc(0, length)
         OpenSSL.BN_bn2bin(x, data)
-        return ord(data[length - 1]) & 1
+        return six.byte2int(data[length - 1]) & 1
 
     def get_cipher(self, name):
         """
diff --git a/src/tests/test_randomtrackingdict.py b/src/tests/test_randomtrackingdict.py
index 2db3c423..528780a9 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_randomtrackingdict.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_randomtrackingdict.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Tests for RandomTrackingDict Class
 """
 import random
 import unittest
+import six
 
 from time import time
 
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class TestRandomTrackingDict(unittest.TestCase):
         """helper function for tests, generates a random string"""
         retval = ''
         for _ in range(32):
-            retval += chr(random.randint(0, 255))
+            retval += six.int2byte(random.randint(0, 255))
         return retval
 
     def test_check_randomtrackingdict(self):