diff --git a/heat/common/timeutils.py b/heat/common/timeutils.py
index 570bbf39b2..fd0376e3cd 100644
--- a/heat/common/timeutils.py
+++ b/heat/common/timeutils.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import time
 from heat.common.i18n import _
 
 
-iso_duration_re = re.compile('PT(?:(\d+)H)?(?:(\d+)M)?(?:(\d+)S)?$')
+iso_duration_re = re.compile(r'PT(?:(\d+)H)?(?:(\d+)M)?(?:(\d+)S)?$')
 wallclock = time.time
 
 
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/monasca/notification.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/monasca/notification.py
index 511f6df271..fc66816602 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/monasca/notification.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/monasca/notification.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class MonascaNotification(resource.Resource):
                 }
                 raise exception.StackValidationFailed(message=msg)
         elif (self.properties[self.TYPE] == self.EMAIL and
-              not re.match('^\S+@\S+$', address)):
+              not re.match(r'^\S+@\S+$', address)):
             msg = _('Address "%(addr)s" doesn\'t satisfies allowed format for '
                     '"%(email)s" type of "%(type)s" property') % {
                 'addr': address,
diff --git a/heat/tests/clients/test_swift_client.py b/heat/tests/clients/test_swift_client.py
index 3ceaadaa44..4b6d1060fe 100644
--- a/heat/tests/clients/test_swift_client.py
+++ b/heat/tests/clients/test_swift_client.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class SwiftUtilsTest(SwiftClientPluginTestCase):
         url = self.swift_plugin.get_temp_url(container_name, obj_name)
         self.assertFalse(self.swift_client.post_account.called)
         regexp = ("http://fake-host.com:8080/v1/AUTH_demo/%s"
-                  "/%s\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
+                  r"/%s\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
                   "temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}" %
                   (container_name, obj_name))
         self.assertThat(url, matchers.MatchesRegex(regexp))
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class SwiftUtilsTest(SwiftClientPluginTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(self.swift_client.put_container.called)
         self.assertTrue(self.swift_client.put_object.called)
         regexp = ("http://fake-host.com:8080/v1/AUTH_demo/%s"
-                  "/%s\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
+                  r"/%s\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
                   "temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}" %
                   (container_name, obj_name))
         self.assertThat(url, matchers.MatchesRegex(regexp))
diff --git a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_watch.py b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_watch.py
index 5e995d27e6..3f1d97dfa2 100644
--- a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_watch.py
+++ b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_watch.py
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ class StackWatchTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                                       state='NORMAL')
         self.wr.store()
 
-        for state in ["HGJHGJHG", "1234", "!\*(&%"]:
+        for state in ["HGJHGJHG", "1234", "!\\*(&%"]:
             self.assertRaises(ValueError,
                               self.eng.set_watch_state,
                               self.ctx, watch_name="OverrideAlarm2",
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ class StackWatchTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         calls = [mock.call("HGJHGJHG"),
                  mock.call("1234"),
-                 mock.call("!\*(&%")]
+                 mock.call("!\\*(&%")]
         mock_set.assert_has_calls(calls)
 
     @mock.patch.object(watchrule.WatchRule, 'load')
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/aodh/test_alarm.py b/heat/tests/openstack/aodh/test_alarm.py
index 0411c86701..746ac37887 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/aodh/test_alarm.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/aodh/test_alarm.py
@@ -372,8 +372,9 @@ class AodhAlarmTest(common.HeatTestCase):
             # python 3.4.3 returns another error message
             # so try to handle this by regexp
             msg = ("Property error: Resources.MEMAlarmHigh.Properties.%s: "
-                   "int\(\) argument must be a string(, a bytes-like "
-                   "object)? or a number, not 'list'" % p)
+                   r"int\(\) argument must be a string"
+                   "(, a bytes-like object)?"
+                   " or a number, not 'list'" % p)
             self.assertRaisesRegex(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                                    msg, rsrc.validate)
 
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_random_string.py b/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_random_string.py
index 5f35578d67..0445478cb4 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_random_string.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_random_string.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Resources:
         self.assert_min('[0-9]', random_string, 1)
         self.assert_min('[A-Z]', random_string, 1)
         self.assert_min('[a-z]', random_string, 20)
-        self.assert_min('[(),\[\]{}]', random_string, 1)
+        self.assert_min(r'[(),\[\]{}]', random_string, 1)
         self.assert_min('[$_]', random_string, 2)
         self.assert_min('@', random_string, 5)
         self.assertEqual(secret3.FnGetRefId(), random_string)
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Resources:
         secret5 = stack['secret5']
         random_string = secret5.FnGetAtt('value')
         self.assertEqual(10, len(random_string))
-        self.assert_min('[(),\[\]{}]', random_string, 1)
+        self.assert_min(r'[(),\[\]{}]', random_string, 1)
         self.assert_min('[$_]', random_string, 2)
         self.assert_min('@', random_string, 5)
         self.assertEqual(secret5.FnGetRefId(), random_string)
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_swiftsignal.py b/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_swiftsignal.py
index a5bf36d134..b688dea058 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_swiftsignal.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/heat/test_swiftsignal.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class SwiftSignalHandleTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         obj_name = "%s-%s-abcdefghijkl" % (st.name, handle.name)
         regexp = ("http://fake-host.com:8080/v1/AUTH_test_tenant/%s/test_st-"
                   "test_wait_condition_handle-abcdefghijkl"
-                  "\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}"
+                  r"\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}"
                   % st.id)
         res_id = st.resources['test_wait_condition_handle'].resource_id
         self.assertEqual(res_id, handle.physical_resource_name())
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ class SwiftSignalTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         st.create()
         self.assertEqual(('CREATE', 'COMPLETE'), st.state)
         expected = ('http://fake-host.com:8080/v1/AUTH_test_tenant/%s/'
-                    'test_st-test_wait_condition_handle-abcdefghijkl\?temp_'
+                    r'test_st-test_wait_condition_handle-abcdefghijkl\?temp_'
                     'url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}') % st.id
         self.assertThat(handle.FnGetAtt('endpoint'),
                         matchers.MatchesRegex(expected))
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ class SwiftSignalTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(('CREATE', 'COMPLETE'), st.state)
         expected = ("curl -i -X PUT 'http://fake-host.com:8080/v1/"
                     "AUTH_test_tenant/%s/test_st-test_wait_condition_"
-                    "handle-abcdefghijkl\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
+                    r"handle-abcdefghijkl\?temp_url_sig=[0-9a-f]{40}&"
                     "temp_url_expires=[0-9]{10}'") % st.id
         self.assertThat(handle.FnGetAtt('curl_cli'),
                         matchers.MatchesRegex(expected))
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/manila/test_share.py b/heat/tests/openstack/manila/test_share.py
index ecf7f0bf50..edaa01a6f1 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/manila/test_share.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/manila/test_share.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class ManilaShareTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         stack = utils.parse_stack(tmp, stack_name='access_type')
         self.assertRaisesRegex(
             exception.StackValidationFailed,
-            ".* \"domain\" is not an allowed value \[ip, user, cert, cephx\]",
+            r'.* "domain" is not an allowed value \[ip, user, cert, cephx\]',
             stack.validate)
 
     def test_get_live_state(self):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_environment.py b/heat/tests/test_environment.py
index 46efdbe948..fc96afb869 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_environment.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_environment.py
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class ResourceRegistryTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
     def test_list_type_with_invalid_type_name(self):
         registry = resources.global_env().registry
-        types = registry.get_types(type_name="r'[^\+]'")
+        types = registry.get_types(type_name="r'[^\\+]'")
         self.assertEqual([], types)
 
     def test_list_type_with_version(self):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_fault_middleware.py b/heat/tests/test_fault_middleware.py
index 3292bb6686..37b0316afb 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_fault_middleware.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_fault_middleware.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ class FaultMiddlewareTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
             if hasattr(obj, 'msg_fmt'):
                 kwargs = {}
-                spec_names = re.findall('%\((\w+)\)([cdeEfFgGinorsxX])',
+                spec_names = re.findall(r'%\((\w+)\)([cdeEfFgGinorsxX])',
                                         obj.msg_fmt)
 
                 for key, convtype in spec_names:
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_properties.py b/heat/tests/test_properties.py
index 5acbc146f5..3c347cfd6e 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_properties.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_properties.py
@@ -784,8 +784,9 @@ class PropertyTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         # python 3.4.3 returns another error message
         # try to handle this by regexp
         self.assertRaisesRegex(
-            TypeError, "int\(\) argument must be a string(, a bytes-like "
-                       "object)? or a number, not 'list'", p.get_value, [1])
+            TypeError, r"int\(\) argument must be a string"
+                       "(, a bytes-like object)?"
+                       " or a number, not 'list'", p.get_value, [1])
 
     def test_str_from_int(self):
         schema = {'Type': 'String'}
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_stack.py b/heat/tests/test_stack.py
index 1b59fc4229..4cde5f4aaf 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_stack.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_stack.py
@@ -1280,8 +1280,8 @@ class StackTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                         'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuv')
         stack_names = ['_foo', '1bad', '.kcats', 'test stack', ' teststack',
                        '^-^', '"stack"', '1234', 'cat|dog', '$(foo)',
-                       'test/stack', 'test\stack', 'test::stack', 'test;stack',
-                       'test~stack', '#test', gt_255_chars]
+                       'test/stack', 'test\\stack', 'test::stack',
+                       'test;stack', 'test~stack', '#test', gt_255_chars]
         for stack_name in stack_names:
             ex = self.assertRaises(
                 exception.StackValidationFailed, stack.Stack,
@@ -1879,7 +1879,7 @@ class StackTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertRaisesRegex(
             exception.StackValidationFailed,
             ('Outputs.Resource_attr.Value.Fn::GetAtt: The Referenced '
-             'Attribute \(AResource Bar\) is incorrect.'),
+             r'Attribute \(AResource Bar\) is incorrect.'),
             self.stack.validate)
 
     def test_incorrect_outputs_cfn_incorrect_reference(self):
@@ -2242,7 +2242,7 @@ class StackTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertRaisesRegex(
             exception.StackValidationFailed,
             ('outputs.resource_attr.value.get_attr: The Referenced Attribute '
-             '\(AResource Bar\) is incorrect.'),
+             r'\(AResource Bar\) is incorrect.'),
             self.stack.validate)
 
     def test_snapshot_save_called_first(self):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_template_format.py b/heat/tests/test_template_format.py
index eb8daa5962..beffdcaff6 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_template_format.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_template_format.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class JsonToYamlTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         with open(path, 'r') as f:
             json_str = f.read()
             yml_str = template_format.convert_json_to_yaml(json_str)
-            match = re.search('[\s,{]\d+\s*:', yml_str)
+            match = re.search(r'[\s,{]\d+\s*:', yml_str)
             # Check that there are no matches of integer-only keys
             # lacking explicit quotes
             self.assertIsNone(match)
diff --git a/tools/custom_guidelines.py b/tools/custom_guidelines.py
index 3d3627f1c3..ce0defc80c 100644
--- a/tools/custom_guidelines.py
+++ b/tools/custom_guidelines.py
@@ -167,12 +167,12 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
             while idx < len(lines):
                 if ('properties_schema' in lines[idx] or
                         'attributes_schema' in lines[idx]):
-                    level = len(re.findall('(\{|\()', lines[idx]))
-                    level -= len(re.findall('(\}|\))', lines[idx]))
+                    level = len(re.findall(r'(\{|\()', lines[idx]))
+                    level -= len(re.findall(r'(\}|\))', lines[idx]))
                     idx += 1
                     while level != 0:
-                        level += len(re.findall('(\{|\()', lines[idx]))
-                        level -= len(re.findall('(\}|\))', lines[idx]))
+                        level += len(re.findall(r'(\{|\()', lines[idx]))
+                        level -= len(re.findall(r'(\}|\))', lines[idx]))
                         if re.search("^((\'|\") )", lines[idx]):
                             kwargs.update(
                                 {'details': 'line %s' % idx,
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
                                               'be on previous line'),
                                  'snippet': lines[idx]})
                             self.print_guideline_error(**kwargs)
-                        elif (re.search("(\S(\'|\"))$", lines[idx - 1]) and
-                              re.search("^((\'|\")\S)", lines[idx])):
+                        elif (re.search("(\\S(\'|\"))$", lines[idx - 1]) and
+                              re.search("^((\'|\")\\S)", lines[idx])):
                             kwargs.update(
                                 {'details': 'line %s' % (idx - 1),
                                  'message': _('Omitted whitespace at the '
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
                               'terminator at the end') % error_key.title(),
                  'snippet': description})
             self.print_guideline_error(**error_kwargs)
-        if re.search("\s{2,}", description):
+        if re.search(r"\s{2,}", description):
             error_kwargs.update(
                 {'message': _('%s description contains double or more '
                               'whitespaces') % error_key.title(),
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
 
     def _check_description_details(self, doclines, error_kwargs,
                                    error_key):
-        if re.search("\S", doclines[1]):
+        if re.search(r"\S", doclines[1]):
             error_kwargs.update(
                 {'message': _('%s description summary and '
                               'main resource description should be '
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
 
         params = False
         for line in doclines[1:]:
-                if re.search("\s{2,}", line):
+                if re.search(r"\s{2,}", line):
                     error_kwargs.update(
                         {'message': _('%s description '
                                       'contains double or more '