diff --git a/channels/request.py b/channels/request.py
index d7cd4b2..e7fd49f 100644
--- a/channels/request.py
+++ b/channels/request.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ def encode_request(request):
     """
     # TODO: More stuff
     value = {
-        "GET": request.GET.items(),
-        "POST": request.POST.items(),
+        "GET": list(request.GET.items()),
+        "POST": list(request.POST.items()),
         "COOKIES": request.COOKIES,
         "META": {k: v for k, v in request.META.items() if not k.startswith("wsgi")},
         "path": request.path,
diff --git a/channels/response.py b/channels/response.py
index 22d410a..c8abdd7 100644
--- a/channels/response.py
+++ b/channels/response.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django.http import HttpResponse
+from six import PY3
 
 
 def encode_response(response):
@@ -10,8 +11,10 @@ def encode_response(response):
         "content_type": getattr(response, "content_type", None),
         "content": response.content,
         "status_code": response.status_code,
-        "headers": response._headers.values(),
+        "headers": list(response._headers.values()),
     }
+    if PY3:
+        value["content"] = value["content"].decode('utf8')
     response.close()
     return value
 
diff --git a/channels/utils.py b/channels/utils.py
index a44fe9c..4a7fb65 100644
--- a/channels/utils.py
+++ b/channels/utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import types
 from django.apps import apps
 
+from six import PY3
 
 def auto_import_consumers():
     """
@@ -12,8 +13,13 @@ def auto_import_consumers():
             try:
                 __import__(module_name)
             except ImportError as e:
-                if "no module named %s" % submodule not in str(e).lower():
-                    raise
+                err = str(e).lower()
+                if PY3:
+                    if "no module named '%s'" % (module_name,) not in err:
+                        raise
+                else:
+                    if "no module named %s" % (submodule,) not in err:
+                        raise
 
 
 def name_that_thing(thing):
diff --git a/docs/getting-started.rst b/docs/getting-started.rst
index 00c8db2..63b433d 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started.rst
+++ b/docs/getting-started.rst
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@ to test your new code::
     socket.onmessage = function(e) {
         alert(e.data);
     }
-    socket.send("hello world");
+    socket.onopen = function() {
+        socket.send("hello world");
+    }
 
 You should see an alert come back immediately saying "hello world" - your
 message has round-tripped through the server and come back to trigger the alert.