diff --git a/tripleoclient/heat_launcher.py b/tripleoclient/heat_launcher.py
index 6973befed..27b51a448 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/heat_launcher.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/heat_launcher.py
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ class HeatBaseLauncher(object):
         p = subprocess.Popen(['mount', '-t', 'tmpfs', '-o', 'size=500M',
                               'tmpfs', heatdir],
                              stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                             stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+                             stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                             universal_newlines=True)
         cmd_stdout, cmd_stderr = p.communicate()
         retval = p.returncode
         if retval != 0:
@@ -273,7 +274,8 @@ class HeatDockerLauncher(HeatBaseLauncher):
             'getent', 'passwd', self.user
         ]
         log.debug(' '.join(cmd))
-        p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+        p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                             universal_newlines=True)
         result = p.communicate()[0]
         if result:
             return result.split(':')[2]
@@ -286,7 +288,8 @@ class HeatDockerLauncher(HeatBaseLauncher):
             'getent', 'group', self.user
         ]
         log.debug(' '.join(cmd))
-        p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+        p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                             universal_newlines=True)
         result = p.communicate()[0]
         if result:
             return result.split(':')[2]
diff --git a/tripleoclient/utils.py b/tripleoclient/utils.py
index 29b5d03ad..8d4bffd71 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/utils.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/utils.py
@@ -1056,7 +1056,8 @@ def get_short_hostname():
 
     :return string
     """
-    p = subprocess.Popen(["hostname", "-s"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+    p = subprocess.Popen(["hostname", "-s"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                         universal_newlines=True)
     return p.communicate()[0].rstrip()
 
 
diff --git a/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_preflight.py b/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_preflight.py
index bfd62bce8..88b38b619 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_preflight.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_preflight.py
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ def _run_live_command(args, env=None, name=None, cwd=None, wait=True):
         name = args[0]
     process = subprocess.Popen(args, env=env, cwd=cwd,
                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                               stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+                               stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+                               universal_newlines=True)
     if not wait:
         return process