diff --git a/lib/python/mod_python/apache.py b/lib/python/mod_python/apache.py
index 6ef72aef..56cd10ac 100644
--- a/lib/python/mod_python/apache.py
+++ b/lib/python/mod_python/apache.py
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@
 import stat
 import imp
 import types
-import cgi
 import _apache
+try:
+    from html import escape
+except:
+    from cgi import escape
 
 try:
     import threading
@@ -549,7 +552,7 @@ def ReportError(self, etype, evalue, etb, req=None, filter=None, srv=None,
 
                     s = '\n<pre>\nMod_python error: "%s %s"\n\n' % (phase, hname)
                     for e in traceback.format_exception(etype, evalue, etb):
-                        s = s + cgi.escape(e) + '\n'
+                        s = s + escape(e) + '\n'
                     s = s + "</pre>\n"
 
                     if filter:
diff --git a/lib/python/mod_python/util.py b/lib/python/mod_python/util.py
index 3020f95d..bf9e6775 100644
--- a/lib/python/mod_python/util.py
+++ b/lib/python/mod_python/util.py
@@ -156,7 +156,10 @@ class StringField(bytes):
         disp_options = None
 
         def __new__(self, value):
-            return bytes.__new__(self, str(value), "utf-8")
+            if PY2:
+                return bytes.__new__(self, value)
+            else:
+                return bytes.__new__(self, str(value), encoding = "utf-8")
 
         def __init__(self, value):
             self.value = value
diff --git a/src/_apachemodule.c b/src/_apachemodule.c
index 816f77de..e8615764 100644
--- a/src/_apachemodule.c
+++ b/src/_apachemodule.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "mod_python.h"
 
-/* A referende to the _apache.SERVER_RETURN */
+/* A reference to the _apache.SERVER_RETURN */
 
 PyObject *Mp_ServerReturn;