3 files changed, 15 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/numpy/lib/_iotools.py b/numpy/lib/_iotools.py
index 827adac02..aa39e25a1 100644
--- a/numpy/lib/_iotools.py
+++ b/numpy/lib/_iotools.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import numpy.core.numeric as nx
 from numpy.compat import asbytes, bytes, asbytes_nested, long, basestring
 
 if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
-    from builtins import bool, int, float, complex, object, unicode, str
+    from builtins import bool, int, float, complex, object,  str
+    unicode = str
 else:
     from __builtin__ import bool, int, float, complex, object, unicode, str
 
diff --git a/numpy/lib/npyio.py b/numpy/lib/npyio.py
index 2154acdce..6a353762b 100644
--- a/numpy/lib/npyio.py
+++ b/numpy/lib/npyio.py
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@ from operator import itemgetter
 from ._datasource import DataSource
 from ._compiled_base import packbits, unpackbits
 
-from ._iotools import LineSplitter, NameValidator, StringConverter, \
-                     ConverterError, ConverterLockError, ConversionWarning, \
-                     _is_string_like, has_nested_fields, flatten_dtype, \
-                     easy_dtype, _bytes_to_name
+from ._iotools import (
+        LineSplitter, NameValidator, StringConverter,
+        ConverterError, ConverterLockError, ConversionWarning,
+        _is_string_like, has_nested_fields, flatten_dtype,
+        easy_dtype, _bytes_to_name
+        )
+
+from numpy.compat import (
+        asbytes, asstr, asbytes_nested, bytes, basestring, unicode
+        )
 
-from numpy.compat import asbytes, asstr, asbytes_nested, bytes, basestring
 from io import BytesIO
 
 if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
diff --git a/numpy/lib/tests/test_regression.py b/numpy/lib/tests/test_regression.py
index 3b70d1ff0..1e9bacdf5 100644
--- a/numpy/lib/tests/test_regression.py
+++ b/numpy/lib/tests/test_regression.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 
 import sys
+
+import numpy as np
 from numpy.testing import *
 from numpy.testing.utils import _assert_valid_refcount
-import numpy as np
+from numpy.compat import unicode
 
 rlevel = 1