diff --git a/PIL/ImageFont.py b/PIL/ImageFont.py
index 9341b1e96..17a5aa72d 100644
--- a/PIL/ImageFont.py
+++ b/PIL/ImageFont.py
@@ -313,9 +313,11 @@ def load_default():
     from io import BytesIO
     import base64
     f = ImageFont()
+    if sys.version_info < (3, 1):
+        base64.decodebytes = base64.decodestring
     f._load_pilfont_data(
         # courB08
-        BytesIO(base64.decodestring(b'''
+        BytesIO(base64.decodebytes(b'''
 UElMZm9udAo7Ozs7OzsxMDsKREFUQQoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
@@ -407,7 +409,7 @@ AJsAEQAGAAAAAP/6AAX//wCbAAoAoAAPAAYAAAAA//oABQABAKAACgClABEABgAA////+AAGAAAA
 pQAKAKwAEgAGAAD////4AAYAAACsAAoAswASAAYAAP////gABgAAALMACgC6ABIABgAA////+QAG
 AAAAugAKAMEAEQAGAAD////4AAYAAgDBAAoAyAAUAAYAAP////kABQACAMgACgDOABMABgAA////
 +QAGAAIAzgAKANUAEw==
-''')), Image.open(BytesIO(base64.decodestring(b'''
+''')), Image.open(BytesIO(base64.decodebytes(b'''
 iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAx4AAAAUAQAAAAArMtZoAAAEwElEQVR4nABlAJr/AHVE4czCI/4u
 Mc4b7vuds/xzjz5/3/7u/n9vMe7vnfH/9++vPn/xyf5zhxzjt8GHw8+2d83u8x27199/nxuQ6Od9
 M43/5z2I+9n9ZtmDBwMQECDRQw/eQIQohJXxpBCNVE6QCCAAAAD//wBlAJr/AgALyj1t/wINwq0g