diff --git a/designate/central/service.py b/designate/central/service.py
index 22a3f3447..7dff863c7 100644
--- a/designate/central/service.py
+++ b/designate/central/service.py
@@ -379,7 +379,11 @@ class Service(service.RPCService, service.Service):
         Check to make sure that the records in the recordset
         follow the rules, and won't blow up on the nameserver.
         """
-        if hasattr(recordset, 'records'):
+        try:
+            recordset.records
+        except (AttributeError, exceptions.RelationNotLoaded):
+            pass
+        else:
             if len(recordset.records) > 1 and recordset.type == 'CNAME':
                 raise exceptions.BadRequest(
                     'CNAME recordsets may not have more than 1 record'
diff --git a/designate/mdns/handler.py b/designate/mdns/handler.py
index 41e6febfe..60e8324a8 100644
--- a/designate/mdns/handler.py
+++ b/designate/mdns/handler.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class RequestHandler(xfr.XFRMixin):
             question = request.question[0]
 
         criterion = {
-            'name': question.name.to_text(),
+            'name': question.name.to_text().decode('utf-8'),
             'type': 'SECONDARY',
             'deleted': False
         }
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class RequestHandler(xfr.XFRMixin):
             # TODO(vinod) once validation is separated from the api,
             # validate the parameters
             criterion = {
-                'name': q_rrset.name.to_text(),
+                'name': q_rrset.name.to_text().decode('utf-8'),
                 'type': dns.rdatatype.to_text(q_rrset.rdtype),
                 'zones_deleted': False
             }
diff --git a/designate/tests/test_mdns/test_handler.py b/designate/tests/test_mdns/test_handler.py
index 6e7423379..23f9a1650 100644
--- a/designate/tests/test_mdns/test_handler.py
+++ b/designate/tests/test_mdns/test_handler.py
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ class MdnsRequestHandlerTest(MdnsTestCase):
         # ;AUTHORITY
         # ;ADDITIONAL
 
-        expected_response = "d2f5850000010001000000010474657874076578616d706c6503636f6d0000100001c00c0010000100000e10000b0a666f6f747874646174610000292000000000000000"  # noqa
+        expected_response = b"d2f5850000010001000000010474657874076578616d706c6503636f6d0000100001c00c0010000100000e10000b0a666f6f747874646174610000292000000000000000"  # noqa
 
         # This creates an TXT record for mail.example.com
         zone = self.create_zone()
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ class MdnsRequestHandlerTest(MdnsTestCase):
         # query is for text.example.com. IN TXT
         payload = "d2f5012000010000000000010474657874076578616d706c6503636f6d00001000010000291000000000000000"  # noqa
 
-        expected_response = "d2f5850000010001000000010474657874076578616d706c6503636f6d0000100001c00c0010000100000e10000d03666f6f0362617204626c61680000292000000000000000"  # noqa
+        expected_response = b"d2f5850000010001000000010474657874076578616d706c6503636f6d0000100001c00c0010000100000e10000d03666f6f0362617204626c61680000292000000000000000"  # noqa
         # expected_response is NOERROR.  The other fields are
         # response: id 54005
         # opcode QUERY
diff --git a/tests-py3.txt b/tests-py3.txt
index e0594abbd..03860130c 100644
--- a/tests-py3.txt
+++ b/tests-py3.txt
@@ -1,15 +1,8 @@
 # Blacklist of tests failing on Python 3
-designate.tests.test_api.test_v1.test_records
 designate.tests.test_api.test_v2.test_floatingips
-designate.tests.test_api.test_v2.test_recordsets
 designate.tests.test_api.test_v2.test_zones
 designate.tests.test_central.test_service
-designate.tests.test_dnsutils
-designate.tests.test_mdns.test_handler
-designate.tests.test_notification_handler.test_neutron
-designate.tests.test_notification_handler.test_nova
 designate.tests.test_pool_manager.test_service
-designate.tests.test_storage.test_sqlalchemy
 designate.tests.unit.test_central.test_basic
 designate.tests.unit.test_pool
 designate.tests.unit.test_producer.test_tasks