diff --git a/src/constants.c b/src/constants.c
index 93c6e434..8c17e389 100644
--- a/src/constants.c
+++ b/src/constants.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_Transform__str__(PyObject* self) {
     else
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s, None", transform->id->name);
 
-    return PyString_FromString(buf);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
 
 // __repr__ method
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_Transform__repr__(PyObject* self) {
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "__Transform('%s', '%s', %d)", transform->id->name, transform->id->href, transform->id->usage);
     else
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "__Transform('%s', None, %d)", transform->id->name, transform->id->usage);
-    return PyString_FromString(buf);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
 
 static const char PyXmlSec_TransformNameGet__doc__[] = "The transform's name.";
 static PyObject* PyXmlSec_TransformNameGet(PyXmlSec_Transform* self, void* closure) {
-    return PyString_FromString((const char*)self->id->name);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)self->id->name);
 }
 
 static const char PyXmlSec_TransformHrefGet__doc__[] = "The transform's identification string (href).";
 static PyObject* PyXmlSec_TransformHrefGet(PyXmlSec_Transform* self, void* closure) {
     if (self->id->href != NULL)
-        return PyString_FromString((const char*)self->id->href);
+        return PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)self->id->href);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyData__str__(PyObject* self) {
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s, %s", keydata->id->name, keydata->id->href);
     else
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s, None", keydata->id->name);
-    return PyString_FromString(buf);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
 
 // __repr__ method
@@ -160,18 +160,18 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyData__repr__(PyObject* self) {
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "__KeyData('%s', '%s')", keydata->id->name, keydata->id->href);
     else
         snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "__KeyData('%s', None)", keydata->id->name);
-    return PyString_FromString(buf);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
 
 static const char PyXmlSec_KeyDataNameGet__doc__[] = "The key data's name.";
 static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyDataNameGet(PyXmlSec_KeyData* self, void* closure) {
-    return PyString_FromString((const char*)self->id->name);
+    return PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)self->id->name);
 }
 
 static const char PyXmlSec_KeyDataHrefGet__doc__[] = "The key data's identification string (href).";
 static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyDataHrefGet(PyXmlSec_KeyData* self, void* closure) {
     if (self->id->href != NULL)
-        return PyString_FromString((const char*)self->id->href);
+        return PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)self->id->href);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyDataNew(xmlSecKeyDataId id) {
     return (PyObject*)keydata;
 }
 
-#ifdef PY3K
 static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule =
 {
     PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
@@ -253,7 +252,6 @@ static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule =
     PYXMLSEC_CONSTANTS_DOC,
     -1, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL
 };
-#endif  // PY3K
 
 // initialize constants module and registers it base package
 int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
@@ -267,12 +265,7 @@ int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
     PyObject* keyDataTypeCls = NULL;
     PyObject* tmp = NULL;
 
-#ifdef PY3K
     constants = PyModule_Create(&PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule);
-#else
-    constants = Py_InitModule3(STRINGIFY(MODULE_NAME) ".constants", NULL, PYXMLSEC_CONSTANTS_DOC);
-    Py_XINCREF(constants);
-#endif
 
     if (!constants) return -1;
 
@@ -292,7 +285,7 @@ int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
 #undef PYXMLSEC_ADD_INT_CONSTANT
 
 #define PYXMLSEC_DECLARE_NAMESPACE(var, name) \
-    if (!(var = PyCreateDummyObject(name))) goto ON_FAIL; \
+    if (!(var = PyModule_New(name))) goto ON_FAIL; \
     if (PyModule_AddObject(package, name, var) < 0) goto ON_FAIL; \
     Py_INCREF(var); // add object steels reference
 
@@ -308,7 +301,7 @@ int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
 
 
 #define PYXMLSEC_ADD_NS_CONSTANT(name, lname) \
-    tmp = PyString_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
+    tmp = PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
     PYXMLSEC_ADD_CONSTANT(nsCls, name, lname);
 
     // namespaces
@@ -334,7 +327,7 @@ int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
 
 
 #define PYXMLSEC_ADD_ENC_CONSTANT(name, lname) \
-    tmp = PyString_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
+    tmp = PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
     PYXMLSEC_ADD_CONSTANT(encryptionTypeCls, name, lname);
 
     // encryption type
@@ -349,7 +342,7 @@ int PyXmlSec_ConstantsModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
 
 
 #define PYXMLSEC_ADD_NODE_CONSTANT(name, lname) \
-    tmp = PyString_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
+    tmp = PyUnicode_FromString((const char*)(JOIN(xmlSec, name))); \
     PYXMLSEC_ADD_CONSTANT(nodeCls, name, lname);
 
     // node
diff --git a/src/keys.c b/src/keys.c
index 357cc9c7..8e065ea0 100644
--- a/src/keys.c
+++ b/src/keys.c
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyFromBinaryFile(PyObject* self, PyObject* args, PyOb
 
     PYXMLSEC_DEBUG("load symmetric key - start");
     if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwargs, "O!O&:from_binary_file", kwlist,
-        PyXmlSec_KeyDataType, &keydata,  PyString_FSConverter, &filepath))
+        PyXmlSec_KeyDataType, &keydata, PyUnicode_FSConverter, &filepath))
     {
         goto ON_FAIL;
     }
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyNameGet(PyObject* self, void* closure) {
     }
     cname = (const char*)xmlSecKeyGetName(key->handle);
     if (cname != NULL) {
-        return PyString_FromString(cname);
+        return PyUnicode_FromString(cname);
     }
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static int PyXmlSec_KeyNameSet(PyObject* self, PyObject* value, void* closure) {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    name = PyString_AsString(value);
+    name = PyUnicode_AsUTF8(value);
     if (name == NULL) return -1;
 
     if (xmlSecKeySetName(key->handle, XSTR(name)) < 0) {
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeysManagerLoadCert(PyObject* self, PyObject* args, Py
 
     PYXMLSEC_DEBUGF("%p: load cert - start", self);
     if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwargs, "O&II:load_cert", kwlist,
-        PyString_FSConverter, &filepath, &format, &type)) {
+        PyUnicode_FSConverter, &filepath, &format, &type)) {
         goto ON_FAIL;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index c097d7f5..a602982c 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -203,8 +203,6 @@ int PyXmlSec_EncModule_Init(PyObject* package);
 // templates management
 int PyXmlSec_TemplateModule_Init(PyObject* package);
 
-#ifdef PY3K
-
 static int PyXmlSec_PyClear(PyObject *self) {
     PyXmlSec_Free(free_mode);
     return 0;
@@ -225,54 +223,12 @@ static PyModuleDef PyXmlSecModule = {
 
 #define PYENTRY_FUNC_NAME JOIN(PyInit_, MODULE_NAME)
 #define PY_MOD_RETURN(m) return m
-#else // PY3K
-#define PYENTRY_FUNC_NAME JOIN(init, MODULE_NAME)
-#define PY_MOD_RETURN(m) return
-
-static void PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuard__del__(PyObject* self)
-{
-    PyXmlSec_Free(free_mode);
-    Py_TYPE(self)->tp_free(self);
-}
-
-// we need guard to free resources on module unload
-typedef struct {
-    PyObject_HEAD
-} PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuard;
-
-static PyTypeObject PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuardType = {
-    PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)
-    STRINGIFY(MODULE_NAME) "__Guard",              /* tp_name */
-    sizeof(PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuard),                /* tp_basicsize */
-    0,                                             /* tp_itemsize */
-    PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuard__del__,                 /* tp_dealloc */
-    0,                                             /* tp_print */
-    0,                                             /* tp_getattr */
-    0,                                             /* tp_setattr */
-    0,                                             /* tp_reserved */
-    0,                                             /* tp_repr */
-    0,                                             /* tp_as_number */
-    0,                                             /* tp_as_sequence */
-    0,                                             /* tp_as_mapping */
-    0,                                             /* tp_hash  */
-    0,                                             /* tp_call */
-    0,                                             /* tp_str */
-    0,                                             /* tp_getattro */
-    0,                                             /* tp_setattro */
-    0,                                             /* tp_as_buffer */
-    Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT,                            /* tp_flags */
-};
-#endif  // PY3K
 
 PyMODINIT_FUNC
 PYENTRY_FUNC_NAME(void)
 {
     PyObject *module = NULL;
-#ifdef PY3K
     module = PyModule_Create(&PyXmlSecModule);
-#else
-    module = Py_InitModule3(STRINGIFY(MODULE_NAME), PyXmlSec_MainMethods, MODULE_DOC);
-#endif
     if (!module) {
         PY_MOD_RETURN(NULL); /* this really should never happen */
     }
@@ -294,13 +250,6 @@ PYENTRY_FUNC_NAME(void)
     if (PyXmlSec_EncModule_Init(module) < 0) goto ON_FAIL;
     if (PyXmlSec_TemplateModule_Init(module) < 0) goto ON_FAIL;
 
-#ifndef PY3K
-    if (PyType_Ready(&PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuardType) < 0) goto ON_FAIL;
-    PYXMLSEC_DEBUGF("%p", &PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuardType);
-    // added guard to free resources on module unload, this should be called after last
-    if (PyModule_AddObject(module, "__guard", _PyObject_New(&PyXmlSec_PyModuleGuardType)) < 0) goto ON_FAIL;
-#endif
-
     PY_MOD_RETURN(module);
 ON_FAIL:
     PY_MOD_RETURN(NULL);
diff --git a/src/platform.h b/src/platform.h
index 01312a11..35163e88 100644
--- a/src/platform.h
+++ b/src/platform.h
@@ -35,50 +35,6 @@ typedef int Py_ssize_t;
 #define PY_SSIZE_T_MIN INT_MIN
 #endif
 
-#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
-#define PY3K 1
-#define PyString_Check PyUnicode_Check
-#define PyString_FromStringAndSize PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize
-
-#define PyString_FromString PyUnicode_FromString
-
-#define PyString_AsString PyUnicode_AsUTF8
-#define PyString_AsUtf8AndSize PyUnicode_AsUTF8AndSize
-
-#define PyCreateDummyObject PyModule_New
-
-#define PyString_FSConverter PyUnicode_FSConverter
-#else // PY3K
-
-#define PyBytes_Check PyString_Check
-#define PyBytes_FromStringAndSize PyString_FromStringAndSize
-
-#define PyBytes_AsString PyString_AsString
-#define PyBytes_AsStringAndSize PyString_AsStringAndSize
-
-static inline char* PyString_AsUtf8AndSize(PyObject *obj, Py_ssize_t* length) {
-    char* buffer = NULL;
-    return (PyString_AsStringAndSize(obj, &buffer, length) < 0) ? (char*)(0) : buffer;
-}
-
-static inline PyObject* PyCreateDummyObject(const char* name) {
-    PyObject* tmp = Py_InitModule(name, NULL);
-    Py_INCREF(tmp);
-    return tmp;
-}
-
-static inline int PyString_FSConverter(PyObject* o, PyObject** p) {
-    if (o == NULL) {
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    Py_INCREF(o);
-    *p = o;
-    return 1;
-}
-
-#endif // PYTHON3
-
 static inline char* PyBytes_AsStringAndSize2(PyObject *obj, Py_ssize_t* length) {
     char* buffer = NULL;
     return ((PyBytes_AsStringAndSize(obj, &buffer, length) < 0) ? (char*)(0) : buffer);
diff --git a/src/template.c b/src/template.c
index 7d043606..ae0eca34 100644
--- a/src/template.c
+++ b/src/template.c
@@ -766,10 +766,10 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_TemplateTransformAddC14NInclNamespaces(PyObject* self,
         goto ON_FAIL;
     }
     if (PyList_Check(prefixes) || PyTuple_Check(prefixes)) {
-        sep = PyString_FromString(" ");
+        sep = PyUnicode_FromString(" ");
         prefixes = PyObject_CallMethod(sep, "join", "O", prefixes);
         Py_DECREF(sep);
-    } else if (PyString_Check(prefixes)) {
+    } else if (PyUnicode_Check(prefixes)) {
         Py_INCREF(prefixes);
     } else {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "expected instance of str or list of str");
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_TemplateTransformAddC14NInclNamespaces(PyObject* self,
     }
 
 
-    c_prefixes = PyString_AsString(prefixes);
+    c_prefixes = PyUnicode_AsUTF8(prefixes);
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
     res = xmlSecTmplTransformAddC14NInclNamespaces(node->_c_node, XSTR(c_prefixes));
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
@@ -918,7 +918,6 @@ static PyMethodDef PyXmlSec_TemplateMethods[] = {
     {NULL, NULL} /* sentinel */
 };
 
-#ifdef PY3K
 static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_TemplateModule =
 {
     PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
@@ -931,15 +930,9 @@ static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_TemplateModule =
     NULL,                     /* m_clear */
     NULL,                     /* m_free */
 };
-#endif  // PY3K
 
 int PyXmlSec_TemplateModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
-#ifdef PY3K
     PyObject* template = PyModule_Create(&PyXmlSec_TemplateModule);
-#else
-    PyObject* template = Py_InitModule3(STRINGIFY(MODULE_NAME) ".template", PyXmlSec_TemplateMethods, PYXMLSEC_TEMPLATES_DOC);
-    Py_XINCREF(template);
-#endif
 
     if (!template) goto ON_FAIL;
     PYXMLSEC_DEBUGF("%p", template);
diff --git a/src/tree.c b/src/tree.c
index 76037d3b..37cae785 100644
--- a/src/tree.c
+++ b/src/tree.c
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_TreeAddIds(PyObject* self, PyObject *args, PyObject *k
         tmp = PyObject_GetItem(ids, key);
         Py_DECREF(key);
         if (tmp == NULL) goto ON_FAIL;
-        list[i] = XSTR(PyString_AsString(tmp));
+        list[i] = XSTR(PyUnicode_AsUTF8(tmp));
         Py_DECREF(tmp);
         if (list[i] == NULL) goto ON_FAIL;
     }
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ static PyMethodDef PyXmlSec_TreeMethods[] = {
     {NULL, NULL} /* sentinel */
 };
 
-#ifdef PY3K
 static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_TreeModule =
 {
     PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
@@ -243,16 +242,10 @@ static PyModuleDef PyXmlSec_TreeModule =
     NULL,                     /* m_clear */
     NULL,                     /* m_free */
 };
-#endif  // PY3K
 
 
 int PyXmlSec_TreeModule_Init(PyObject* package) {
-#ifdef PY3K
     PyObject* tree = PyModule_Create(&PyXmlSec_TreeModule);
-#else
-    PyObject* tree = Py_InitModule3(STRINGIFY(MODULE_NAME) ".tree", PyXmlSec_TreeMethods, PYXMLSEC_TREE_DOC);
-    Py_XINCREF(tree);
-#endif
 
     if (!tree) goto ON_FAIL;
 
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index ea6867f3..cdcb182b 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ PyObject* PyXmlSec_GetFilePathOrContent(PyObject* file, int* is_content) {
         return data;
     }
     *is_content = 0;
-    if (!PyString_FSConverter(file, &tmp)) {
+    if (!PyUnicode_FSConverter(file, &tmp)) {
         return NULL;
     }
     return tmp;
 }
 
 int PyXmlSec_SetStringAttr(PyObject* obj, const char* name, const char* value) {
-    PyObject* tmp = PyString_FromString(value);
+    PyObject* tmp = PyUnicode_FromString(value);
     int r;
 
     if (tmp == NULL) {