diff --git a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0009/binding.py b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0009/binding.py
index 5418626b..a55993ad 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0009/binding.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0009/binding.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ from sleekxmpp.xmlstream import ET
 import base64
 import logging
 import time
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info > (3, 0):
+    unicode = str
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -152,7 +156,7 @@ class rpctime(object):
 
     def __init__(self,data=None):
         #assume string data is in iso format YYYYMMDDTHH:MM:SS
-        if type(data) is str:
+        if type(data) in (str, unicode):
             self.timestamp = time.strptime(data,"%Y%m%dT%H:%M:%S")
         elif type(data) is time.struct_time:
             self.timestamp = data
diff --git a/tests/test_stanza_xep_0009.py b/tests/test_stanza_xep_0009.py
index 724ebb95..fa1ed19b 100644
--- a/tests/test_stanza_xep_0009.py
+++ b/tests/test_stanza_xep_0009.py
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
     See the file LICENSE for copying permission.
 """
 
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import base64
+import sys
 
 from sleekxmpp.plugins.xep_0009.stanza.RPC import RPCQuery, MethodCall, \
     MethodResponse
@@ -21,6 +24,9 @@ from sleekxmpp.xmlstream.tostring import tostring
 import unittest
 
 
+if sys.version_info > (3, 0):
+    unicode = str
+
 
 class TestJabberRPC(SleekTest):
 
@@ -117,7 +123,7 @@ class TestJabberRPC(SleekTest):
                         "XML to string conversion")
 
     def testConvertUnicodeString(self):
-        params = [u"おはよう"]
+        params = ["おはよう"]
         params_xml = py2xml(*params)
         expected_xml = self.parse_xml("""
             <params xmlns="jabber:iq:rpc">