diff --git a/Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py b/Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py
index 360998e..076de4a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_cfgparser.py
@@ -247,13 +247,8 @@
         cf.set("sect", "option1", mystr("splat"))
         cf.set("sect", "option2", "splat")
         cf.set("sect", "option2", mystr("splat"))
-        try:
-            str
-        except NameError:
-            pass
-        else:
-            cf.set("sect", "option1", str("splat"))
-            cf.set("sect", "option2", str("splat"))
+        cf.set("sect", "option1", "splat")
+        cf.set("sect", "option2", "splat")
 
     def test_read_returns_file_list(self):
         file1 = test_support.findfile("cfgparser.1")
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_descr.py b/Lib/test/test_descr.py
index fca0061..bcbd096 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_descr.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_descr.py
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
     del junk
 
     # Just make sure these don't blow up!
-    for arg in 2, 2, 2j, 2e0, [2], "2", "2", (2,), {2:2}, type, test_dir:
+    for arg in 2, 2, 2j, 2e0, [2], "2", b"2", (2,), {2:2}, type, test_dir:
         dir(arg)
 
     # Test dir on custom classes. Since these have object as a
@@ -1117,34 +1117,29 @@
     vereq(c.abc, 5)
 
     # Test unicode slot names
+    # Test a single unicode string is not expanded as a sequence.
+    class C(object):
+        __slots__ = "abc"
+    c = C()
+    c.abc = 5
+    vereq(c.abc, 5)
+
+    # _unicode_to_string used to modify slots in certain circumstances
+    slots = ("foo", "bar")
+    class C(object):
+        __slots__ = slots
+    x = C()
+    x.foo = 5
+    vereq(x.foo, 5)
+    veris(type(slots[0]), str)
+    # this used to leak references
     try:
-        str
-    except NameError:
+        class C(object):
+            __slots__ = [chr(128)]
+    except (TypeError, UnicodeEncodeError):
         pass
     else:
-        # Test a single unicode string is not expanded as a sequence.
-        class C(object):
-            __slots__ = str("abc")
-        c = C()
-        c.abc = 5
-        vereq(c.abc, 5)
-
-        # _unicode_to_string used to modify slots in certain circumstances
-        slots = (str("foo"), str("bar"))
-        class C(object):
-            __slots__ = slots
-        x = C()
-        x.foo = 5
-        vereq(x.foo, 5)
-        veris(type(slots[0]), str)
-        # this used to leak references
-        try:
-            class C(object):
-                __slots__ = [chr(128)]
-        except (TypeError, UnicodeEncodeError):
-            pass
-        else:
-            raise TestFailed, "[unichr(128)] slots not caught"
+        raise TestFailed, "[unichr(128)] slots not caught"
 
     # Test leaks
     class Counted(object):
@@ -2693,14 +2688,8 @@
         __slots__ = ["a", "b"]
     class H(object):
         __slots__ = ["b", "a"]
-    try:
-        str
-    except NameError:
-        class I(object):
-            __slots__ = ["a", "b"]
-    else:
-        class I(object):
-            __slots__ = [str("a"), str("b")]
+    class I(object):
+        __slots__ = ["a", "b"]
     class J(object):
         __slots__ = ["c", "b"]
     class K(object):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_iter.py b/Lib/test/test_iter.py
index 42d4e3e..f7712db 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_iter.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_iter.py
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@
         # and pass that on to unicode.join().
         try:
             got = " - ".join(OhPhooey(f))
-            self.assertEqual(got, str("a\n - b\n - fooled you! - c\n"))
+            self.assertEqual(got, "a\n - b\n - fooled you! - c\n")
         finally:
             f.close()
             try:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pprint.py b/Lib/test/test_pprint.py
index f7f6ac6..8698907 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pprint.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pprint.py
@@ -2,12 +2,6 @@
 import test.test_support
 import unittest
 
-try:
-    uni = str
-except NameError:
-    def uni(x):
-        return x
-
 # list, tuple and dict subclasses that do or don't overwrite __repr__
 class list2(list):
     pass
@@ -41,7 +35,7 @@
         # Verify .isrecursive() and .isreadable() w/o recursion
         verify = self.assert_
         pp = pprint.PrettyPrinter()
-        for safe in (2, 2.0, 2j, "abc", [3], (2,2), {3: 3}, uni("yaddayadda"),
+        for safe in (2, 2.0, 2j, "abc", [3], (2,2), {3: 3}, "yaddayadda",
                      self.a, self.b):
             # module-level convenience functions
             verify(not pprint.isrecursive(safe),
@@ -114,12 +108,12 @@
         # multiple lines.  For that reason, dicts with more than one element
         # aren't tested here.
         verify = self.assert_
-        for simple in (0, 0, 0+0j, 0.0, "", uni(""),
+        for simple in (0, 0, 0+0j, 0.0, "", b"",
                        (), tuple2(), tuple3(),
                        [], list2(), list3(),
                        {}, dict2(), dict3(),
                        verify, pprint,
-                       -6, -6, -6-6j, -1.5, "x", uni("x"), (3,), [3], {3: 6},
+                       -6, -6, -6-6j, -1.5, "x", b"x", (3,), [3], {3: 6},
                        (1,2), [3,4], {5: 6, 7: 8},
                        tuple2((1,2)), tuple3((1,2)), tuple3(range(100)),
                        [3,4], list2([3,4]), list3([3,4]), list3(range(100)),
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_set.py b/Lib/test/test_set.py
index e411025..ee570f0 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_set.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_set.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
         self.assertEqual(type(u), self.thetype)
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.union, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.union, [[]])
-        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').union(C('cdc')), set('abcd'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').union(C('efgfe')), set('abcefg'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').union(C('ccb')), set('abc'))
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
         self.assertEqual(self.s, self.thetype(self.word))
         self.assertEqual(type(i), self.thetype)
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.intersection, check_pass_thru())
-        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').intersection(C('cdc')), set('cc'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').intersection(C('efgfe')), set(''))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').intersection(C('ccb')), set('bc'))
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
         self.assertEqual(type(i), self.thetype)
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.difference, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.difference, [[]])
-        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').difference(C('cdc')), set('ab'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').difference(C('efgfe')), set('abc'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').difference(C('ccb')), set('a'))
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
         self.assertEqual(type(i), self.thetype)
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.symmetric_difference, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.symmetric_difference, [[]])
-        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+        for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').symmetric_difference(C('cdc')), set('abd'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').symmetric_difference(C('efgfe')), set('abcefg'))
             self.assertEqual(self.thetype('abcba').symmetric_difference(C('ccb')), set('a'))
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.update, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.update, [[]])
         for p, q in (('cdc', 'abcd'), ('efgfe', 'abcefg'), ('ccb', 'abc'), ('ef', 'abcef')):
-            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
                 s = self.thetype('abcba')
                 self.assertEqual(s.update(C(p)), None)
                 self.assertEqual(s, set(q))
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.intersection_update, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.intersection_update, [[]])
         for p, q in (('cdc', 'c'), ('efgfe', ''), ('ccb', 'bc'), ('ef', '')):
-            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
                 s = self.thetype('abcba')
                 self.assertEqual(s.intersection_update(C(p)), None)
                 self.assertEqual(s, set(q))
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.difference_update, [[]])
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.symmetric_difference_update, [[]])
         for p, q in (('cdc', 'ab'), ('efgfe', 'abc'), ('ccb', 'a'), ('ef', 'abc')):
-            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
                 s = self.thetype('abcba')
                 self.assertEqual(s.difference_update(C(p)), None)
                 self.assertEqual(s, set(q))
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@
         self.assertRaises(PassThru, self.s.symmetric_difference_update, check_pass_thru())
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.s.symmetric_difference_update, [[]])
         for p, q in (('cdc', 'abd'), ('efgfe', 'abcefg'), ('ccb', 'a'), ('ef', 'abcef')):
-            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str, list, tuple:
+            for C in set, frozenset, dict.fromkeys, str, str8, list, tuple:
                 s = self.thetype('abcba')
                 self.assertEqual(s.symmetric_difference_update(C(p)), None)
                 self.assertEqual(s, set(q))