diff --git a/heat/tests/test_validate.py b/heat/tests/test_validate.py
index 94780f5db6..febef0d4e9 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 import mock
 from oslo_messaging.rpc import dispatcher
-import six
 import webob
 
 from heat.common import exception
@@ -1309,7 +1308,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         res = dict(self.engine.validate_template(self.ctx, t, {}))
         self.assertEqual({'Error': 'Resources must contain Resource. '
-                          'Found a [%s] instead' % six.text_type},
+                          'Found a [%s] instead' % str},
                          res)
 
     def test_invalid_section_cfn(self):
@@ -1621,7 +1620,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                            'parameter_groups.Database '
                            'Group: The InstanceType parameter must be '
                            'assigned to one parameter group only.'),
-                         six.text_type(exc))
+                         str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_duplicate_parameters_no_label(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_parameters_duplicate_no_label)
@@ -1634,7 +1633,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                            'parameter_groups.: '
                            'The key_name parameter must be '
                            'assigned to one parameter group only.'),
-                         six.text_type(exc))
+                         str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_invalid_parameter_in_group(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_invalid_parameter_name)
@@ -1652,7 +1651,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                            'parameter_groups.Database Group: The grouped '
                            'parameter SomethingNotHere does not '
                            'reference a valid parameter.'),
-                         six.text_type(exc))
+                         str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_invalid_parameter_no_label(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_invalid_parameter_no_label)
@@ -1666,7 +1665,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                            'parameter_groups.: The grouped '
                            'parameter key_name does not '
                            'reference a valid parameter.'),
-                         six.text_type(exc))
+                         str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_no_parameters_in_group(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_no_parameters)
@@ -1677,7 +1676,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(_('Parameter Groups error: parameter_groups.Server '
                            'Group: The parameters must be provided for each '
-                           'parameter group.'), six.text_type(exc))
+                           'parameter group.'), str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_parameter_groups_not_list(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_parameter_groups_not_list)
@@ -1688,7 +1687,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(_('Parameter Groups error: parameter_groups: '
                            'The parameter_groups should be '
-                           'a list.'), six.text_type(exc))
+                           'a list.'), str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_parameters_not_list(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_parameters_not_list)
@@ -1700,7 +1699,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(_('Parameter Groups error: '
                            'parameter_groups.Server Group: '
                            'The parameters of parameter group should be '
-                           'a list.'), six.text_type(exc))
+                           'a list.'), str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_parameters_error_no_label(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_parameters_error_no_label)
@@ -1711,7 +1710,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(_('Parameter Groups error: parameter_groups.: '
                            'The parameters of parameter group should be '
-                           'a list.'), six.text_type(exc))
+                           'a list.'), str(exc))
 
     def test_validate_allowed_values_integer(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_allowed_integers)
@@ -1750,7 +1749,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         err = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                                 stack.validate)
         self.assertIn('"3" is not an allowed value [1, 4, 8]',
-                      six.text_type(err))
+                      str(err))
 
         # test with size parameter provided as number
         template.env = environment.Environment({'size': 3})
@@ -1758,7 +1757,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         err = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                                 stack.validate)
         self.assertIn('3 is not an allowed value [1, 4, 8]',
-                      six.text_type(err))
+                      str(err))
 
     def test_validate_not_allowed_values_integer_str(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_allowed_integers_str)
@@ -1770,7 +1769,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         err = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                                 stack.validate)
         self.assertIn('"3" is not an allowed value ["1", "4", "8"]',
-                      six.text_type(err))
+                      str(err))
 
         # test with size parameter provided as number
         template.env = environment.Environment({'size': 3})
@@ -1778,7 +1777,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         err = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                                 stack.validate)
         self.assertIn('3 is not an allowed value ["1", "4", "8"]',
-                      six.text_type(err))
+                      str(err))
 
     def test_validate_invalid_outputs(self):
         t = template_format.parse(test_template_invalid_outputs)
@@ -1789,7 +1788,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         error_message = ('outputs.string.value.get_attr: Arguments to '
                          '"get_attr" must be of the form '
                          '[resource_name, attribute, (path), ...]')
-        self.assertEqual(error_message, six.text_type(err))
+        self.assertEqual(error_message, str(err))
 
     def test_validate_resource_attr_invalid_type(self):
         t = template_format.parse("""
@@ -1802,7 +1801,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         stack = parser.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', template)
         ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed, stack.validate)
         self.assertEqual('Resource resource type type must be string',
-                         six.text_type(ex))
+                         str(ex))
 
     def test_validate_resource_attr_invalid_type_cfn(self):
         t = template_format.parse("""
@@ -1814,7 +1813,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         stack = parser.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', tmpl.Template(t))
         ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed, stack.validate)
         self.assertEqual('Resource Resource Type type must be string',
-                         six.text_type(ex))
+                         str(ex))
 
     def test_validate_resource_invalid_key(self):
         t = template_format.parse("""
@@ -1827,7 +1826,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         template = tmpl.Template(t)
         stack = parser.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', template)
         ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed, stack.validate)
-        self.assertIn('wibble', six.text_type(ex))
+        self.assertIn('wibble', str(ex))
 
     def test_validate_resource_invalid_cfn_key_in_hot(self):
         t = template_format.parse("""
@@ -1840,7 +1839,7 @@ class ValidateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         template = tmpl.Template(t)
         stack = parser.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', template)
         ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed, stack.validate)
-        self.assertIn('Properties', six.text_type(ex))
+        self.assertIn('Properties', str(ex))
 
     def test_validate_resource_invalid_key_cfn(self):
         t = template_format.parse("""
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py b/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
index d5c2595019..afa1ec20d0 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ import random
 import re
 import subprocess
 import time
+import urllib
 
 import fixtures
 from heatclient import exc as heat_exceptions
 from keystoneauth1 import exceptions as kc_exceptions
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_utils import timeutils
-import six
-from six.moves import urllib
 from tempest import config
 import testscenarios
 import testtools
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ def call_until_true(duration, sleep_for, func, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def rand_name(name=''):
-    randbits = six.text_type(random.randint(1, 0x7fffffff))
+    randbits = str(random.randint(1, 0x7fffffff))
     if name:
         return name + '-' + randbits
     else:
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_autoscaling.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_autoscaling.py
index 369fa000cf..46da2a86e0 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_autoscaling.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_autoscaling.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import json
 
 from heatclient import exc
 from oslo_log import log as logging
-import six
 from testtools import matchers
 
 from heat_integrationtests.common import test
@@ -736,7 +735,7 @@ outputs:
                                stack_identifier, 'ScaleUpPolicy')
 
         error_msg = 'Signal resource during SUSPEND is not supported'
-        self.assertIn(error_msg, six.text_type(ex))
+        self.assertIn(error_msg, str(ex))
         ev = self.wait_for_event_with_reason(
             stack_identifier,
             reason='Cannot signal resource during SUSPEND',
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_aws_stack.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_aws_stack.py
index 05539dca85..3e775ca7a6 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_aws_stack.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_aws_stack.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 import hashlib
 import json
 import random
+from urllib import parse
 
-from six.moves.urllib import parse
 from swiftclient import utils as swiftclient_utils
 import yaml
 
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_resource_group.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_resource_group.py
index 95ae7799f3..ebce70df72 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_resource_group.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_resource_group.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import copy
 import json
 
 from heatclient import exc
-import six
 import yaml
 
 from heat_integrationtests.functional import functional_base
@@ -88,12 +87,12 @@ resources:
         ex = self.assertRaises(exc.HTTPBadRequest, self.update_stack,
                                stack_identifier, template_two_nested,
                                environment=env, files=files)
-        self.assertIn(expected_err, six.text_type(ex))
+        self.assertIn(expected_err, str(ex))
 
         ex = self.assertRaises(exc.HTTPBadRequest, self.stack_create,
                                template=template_two_nested,
                                environment=env, files=files)
-        self.assertIn(expected_err, six.text_type(ex))
+        self.assertIn(expected_err, str(ex))
 
     def _validate_resources(self, stack_identifier, expected_count):
         resources = self.list_group_resources(stack_identifier,
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_template_resource.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_template_resource.py
index 21a4ec061a..f2a513b3a6 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_template_resource.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_template_resource.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 import json
 
 from heatclient import exc as heat_exceptions
-import six
 import yaml
 
 from heat_integrationtests.common import test
@@ -804,7 +803,7 @@ outputs:
         except heat_exceptions.HTTPBadRequest as exc:
             exp = ('ERROR: Required property two for facade '
                    'OS::Thingy missing in provider')
-            self.assertEqual(exp, six.text_type(exc))
+            self.assertEqual(exp, str(exc))
 
     def test_missing_output(self):
         templ_missing_output = '''
@@ -828,7 +827,7 @@ resources:
         except heat_exceptions.HTTPBadRequest as exc:
             exp = ('ERROR: Attribute here-it-is for facade '
                    'OS::Thingy missing in provider')
-            self.assertEqual(exp, six.text_type(exc))
+            self.assertEqual(exp, str(exc))
 
 
 class TemplateResourceNewParamTest(functional_base.FunctionalTestsBase):
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index f77d011a49..ad414aa173 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ PyYAML>=3.12 # MIT
 requests>=2.14.2 # Apache-2.0
 tenacity>=4.4.0 # Apache-2.0
 Routes>=2.3.1 # MIT
-six>=1.10.0 # MIT
 SQLAlchemy!=1.1.5,!=1.1.6,!=1.1.7,!=1.1.8,>=1.0.10 # MIT
 sqlalchemy-migrate>=0.11.0 # Apache-2.0
 stevedore>=1.20.0 # Apache-2.0
diff --git a/tools/custom_guidelines.py b/tools/custom_guidelines.py
index 3e8f4e2c79..53306d0cce 100644
--- a/tools/custom_guidelines.py
+++ b/tools/custom_guidelines.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import re
 import sys
 
 from oslo_log import log
-import six
 
 from heat.common.i18n import _
 from heat.engine import constraints
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
 
     def _check_resource_schemas(self, resource, schema, schema_name,
                                 error_path=None):
-        for key, value in six.iteritems(schema):
+        for key, value in schema.items():
             if error_path is None:
                 error_path = [resource.__name__, key]
             else:
@@ -129,7 +128,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
             error_path.pop()
 
     def _check_resource_methods(self, resource):
-        for method in six.itervalues(resource.__dict__):
+        for method in resource.__dict__.values():
             # need to skip non-functions attributes
             if not callable(method):
                 continue
@@ -159,7 +158,7 @@ class HeatCustomGuidelines(object):
                 cls_file = open(cls.__module__.replace('.', '/') + '.py')
             except IOError as ex:
                 LOG.warning('Cannot perform trailing spaces check on '
-                            'resource module: %s', six.text_type(ex))
+                            'resource module: %s', str(ex))
                 continue
             lines = [line.strip() for line in cls_file.readlines()]
             idx = 0