diff --git a/lib/controller/checks.py b/lib/controller/checks.py
index dc8ed740a..4565ee5f3 100644
--- a/lib/controller/checks.py
+++ b/lib/controller/checks.py
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def checkDynParam(place, parameter, value):
     logger.info(infoMsg)
 
     randInt = randomInt()
-    payload = agent.payload(place, parameter, value, str(randInt))
+    payload = agent.payload(place, parameter, value, unicode(randInt))
     dynResult1 = Request.queryPage(payload, place)
 
     if True == dynResult1:
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def checkConnection():
         conf.seqMatcher.set_seq1(page)
 
     except sqlmapConnectionException, errMsg:
-        errMsg = str(errMsg)
+        errMsg = unicode(errMsg)
         raise sqlmapConnectionException, errMsg
 
     return True
diff --git a/lib/controller/controller.py b/lib/controller/controller.py
index 436fd773d..a81e84b92 100644
--- a/lib/controller/controller.py
+++ b/lib/controller/controller.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ def start():
 
             if not conf.dropSetCookie:
                 for _, cookie in enumerate(conf.cj):
-                    cookie = str(cookie)
+                    cookie = unicode(cookie)
                     index  = cookie.index(" for ")
 
                     cookieStr += "%s;" % cookie[8:index]
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ def start():
                     action()
 
         except exceptionsTuple, e:
-            e = str(e)
+            e = unicode(e)
 
             if conf.multipleTargets:
                 e += ", skipping to next url"
diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index e0e8005ab..4a213a4d2 100644
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ def readInput(message, default=None):
         message += "\n> "
 
     if conf.batch and default:
-        infoMsg = "%s%s" % (message, str(default))
+        infoMsg = "%s%s" % (message, unicode(default))
         logger.info(infoMsg)
 
         debugMsg = "used the default behaviour, running in batch mode"
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ def sanitizeStr(inpStr):
     @rtype: C{str}
     """
 
-    cleanString = str(inpStr)
+    cleanString = unicode(inpStr)
     cleanString = cleanString.replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", "")
 
     return cleanString
@@ -638,8 +638,8 @@ def parseTargetDirect():
                 conf.dbmsUser = details.group('user')
                 conf.dbmsPass = details.group('pass')
             else:
-                conf.dbmsUser = str()
-                conf.dbmsPass = str()
+                conf.dbmsUser = unicode()
+                conf.dbmsPass = unicode()
 
             if not conf.dbmsPass:
                 conf.dbmsPass = None
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ def safeStringFormat(formatStr, params):
 
             if index != -1:
                 if count < len(params):
-                    retVal = retVal[:index] + str(params[count]) + retVal[index+2:]
+                    retVal = retVal[:index] + unicode(params[count]) + retVal[index+2:]
                 else:
                     raise sqlmapNoneDataException, "wrong number of parameters during string formatting"
                 count += 1
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ def profile(profileOutputFile=None, dotOutputFile=None, imageOutputFile=None):
         import gtk
         import pydot
     except ImportError, e:
-        errMsg = "profiling requires third-party libraries (%s)" % str(e)
+        errMsg = "profiling requires third-party libraries (%s)" % unicode(e)
         logger.error(errMsg)
         return
 
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ def getCommonStart(strings=[]):
     if len(strings) == 1:
         return strings[0]
 
-    retVal = str()
+    retVal = unicode()
     maxCount = min(len(string) for string in strings)
 
     count = 0
diff --git a/lib/core/dump.py b/lib/core/dump.py
index 34d9fff9b..5eb3c4b90 100644
--- a/lib/core/dump.py
+++ b/lib/core/dump.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class Dump:
 
             return
 
-        data = str(data)
+        data = unicode(data)
 
         if data:
             data = data.replace("__NEWLINE__", "\n").replace("__TAB__", "\t")
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class Dump:
             if isinstance(element, basestring):
                 self.__write("[*] %s" % element)
             elif isinstance(element, (list, tuple, set)):
-                self.__write("[*] " + ", ".join(str(e) for e in element))
+                self.__write("[*] " + ", ".join(unicode(e) for e in element))
 
         if elements:
             self.__write("")
diff --git a/lib/core/progress.py b/lib/core/progress.py
index 7d5a5751d..615182d16 100644
--- a/lib/core/progress.py
+++ b/lib/core/progress.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class ProgressBar:
                                           " " * (allFull - numHashes))
 
         # Add the percentage at the beginning of the progress bar
-        percentString = str(percentDone) + "%"
+        percentString = unicode(percentDone) + "%"
         self.__progBar = "%s %s" % (percentString, self.__progBar)
 
     def draw(self, eta=0):
@@ -102,4 +102,4 @@ class ProgressBar:
         This method returns the progress bar string
         """
 
-        return str(self.__progBar)
+        return unicode(self.__progBar)
diff --git a/lib/core/update.py b/lib/core/update.py
index 837164e16..0c974e28c 100644
--- a/lib/core/update.py
+++ b/lib/core/update.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ def __updateSqlmap():
         logger.debug(debugMsg)
 
         def notify(event_dict):
-            action = str(event_dict['action'])
+            action = unicode(event_dict['action'])
             index = action.find('_')
             prefix = action[index + 1].upper() if index != -1 else action.capitalize()
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ def __updateSqlmap():
             if action.find('_completed') == -1:
                 print "%s\t%s" % (prefix, event_dict['path'])
             else:
-                revision = str(event_dict['revision'])
+                revision = unicode(event_dict['revision'])
                 index = revision.find('number ')
 
                 if index != -1:
diff --git a/lib/request/basic.py b/lib/request/basic.py
index 67cb912f1..b712a8d36 100644
--- a/lib/request/basic.py
+++ b/lib/request/basic.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def decodePage(page, encoding):
     Decode gzip/deflate HTTP response
     """
 
-    if str(encoding).lower() in ('gzip', 'x-gzip', 'deflate'):
+    if unicode(encoding).lower() in (u'gzip', u'x-gzip', u'deflate'):
         if encoding == 'deflate':
             # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1089662/python-inflate-and-deflate-implementations
             data = StringIO.StringIO(zlib.decompress(page, -15))
diff --git a/lib/request/connect.py b/lib/request/connect.py
index 7e40c2757..ac34cb674 100644
--- a/lib/request/connect.py
+++ b/lib/request/connect.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class Connect:
                     if not cookieStr:
                         cookieStr = "Cookie: "
     
-                    cookie = str(cookie)
+                    cookie = unicode(cookie)
                     index  = cookie.index(" for ")
     
                     cookieStr += "%s; " % cookie[8:index]
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ class Connect:
         responseMsg += "(%s - %d):\n" % (status, code)
 
         if conf.verbose <= 4:
-            responseMsg += str(responseHeaders)
+            responseMsg += unicode(responseHeaders)
         elif conf.verbose > 4:
             responseMsg += "%s\n%s\n" % (responseHeaders, page)
 
diff --git a/lib/request/direct.py b/lib/request/direct.py
index ca8ef944f..cc5c487cd 100644
--- a/lib/request/direct.py
+++ b/lib/request/direct.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def direct(query, content=True):
         output = base64unpickle(kb.resumedQueries[conf.hostname][query][:-1])
 
         infoMsg  = "resumed from file '%s': " % conf.sessionFile
-        infoMsg += "%s..." % str(output)[:20]
+        infoMsg += "%s..." % unicode(output)[:20]
         logger.info(infoMsg)
     elif select:
         output = timeout(func=conf.dbmsConnector.select, args=(query,), duration=conf.timeout, default=None)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def direct(query, content=True):
 
         if len(output) == 1:
             if len(output[0]) == 1:
-                return str(list(output)[0][0])
+                return unicode(list(output)[0][0])
             else:
                 return list(output)
         else:
diff --git a/lib/takeover/metasploit.py b/lib/takeover/metasploit.py
index d663f6223..51c965c8f 100644
--- a/lib/takeover/metasploit.py
+++ b/lib/takeover/metasploit.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class Metasploit:
 
         if not choice:
             if lst:
-                choice = str(default)
+                choice = unicode(default)
             else:
                 return default
 
diff --git a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
index fdc508dab..71185d118 100644
--- a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
+++ b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def unionUse(expression, direct=False, unescape=True, resetCounter=False, nullCh
         # sql injection output
         startPosition = resultPage.index(temp.start)
         endPosition = resultPage.rindex(temp.stop) + len(temp.stop)
-        value = str(resultPage[startPosition:endPosition])
+        value = unicode(resultPage[startPosition:endPosition])
 
         duration = calculateDeltaSeconds(start)
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/google.py b/lib/utils/google.py
index db26cdaa6..a1ea89a16 100644
--- a/lib/utils/google.py
+++ b/lib/utils/google.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class Google:
             responseMsg = "HTTP response (%s - %d):\n" % (status, code)
     
             if conf.verbose <= 4:
-                responseMsg += str(responseHeaders)
+                responseMsg += unicode(responseHeaders)
             elif conf.verbose > 4:
                 responseMsg += "%s\n%s\n" % (responseHeaders, page)
     
diff --git a/plugins/dbms/firebird/fingerprint.py b/plugins/dbms/firebird/fingerprint.py
index 8091c54e8..dac5828d2 100644
--- a/plugins/dbms/firebird/fingerprint.py
+++ b/plugins/dbms/firebird/fingerprint.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class Fingerprint(GenericFingerprint):
         for i in xrange(len(table)):
             version, checks = table[i]
             failed = False
-            check = checks[randomRange(0,len(checks)-1)].replace("%d", str(randomRange(1,100)))
+            check = checks[randomRange(0,len(checks)-1)].replace("%d", unicode(randomRange(1,100)))
             payload = agent.fullPayload(check)
             result  = Request.queryPage(payload)
             if result:
diff --git a/plugins/dbms/mssqlserver/fingerprint.py b/plugins/dbms/mssqlserver/fingerprint.py
index 32c6c97ca..56fa036e6 100644
--- a/plugins/dbms/mssqlserver/fingerprint.py
+++ b/plugins/dbms/mssqlserver/fingerprint.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class Fingerprint(GenericFingerprint):
 
         for sp in sps:
             query  =  "(SELECT LEN(%s) FROM %s WHERE %s " % (self.tblField, self.fileTblName, self.tblField)
-            query += "LIKE '%Service Pack " + str(sp) + "%')>0"
+            query += "LIKE '%Service Pack " + unicode(sp) + "%')>0"
             query  = agent.forgeCaseStatement(query)
 
             if inject.getValue(query, charsetType=1) == "1":
diff --git a/plugins/dbms/mysql/fingerprint.py b/plugins/dbms/mysql/fingerprint.py
index dc58b2df4..a3b945852 100644
--- a/plugins/dbms/mysql/fingerprint.py
+++ b/plugins/dbms/mysql/fingerprint.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Fingerprint(GenericFingerprint):
 
             for version in range(element[0], element[1] + 1):
                 randInt = randomInt()
-                version = str(version)
+                version = unicode(version)
                 query   = agent.prefixQuery(" /*!%s AND %d=%d*/" % (version, randInt, randInt + 1))
                 query   = agent.postfixQuery(query)
                 payload = agent.payload(newValue=query)
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class Fingerprint(GenericFingerprint):
         infoMsg = "testing MySQL"
         logger.info(infoMsg)
 
-        randInt = str(randomInt(1))
+        randInt = unicode(randomInt(1))
         payload = agent.fullPayload(" AND CONNECTION_ID()=CONNECTION_ID()")
         result  = Request.queryPage(payload)
 
diff --git a/plugins/dbms/postgresql/fingerprint.py b/plugins/dbms/postgresql/fingerprint.py
index 1e675d447..861bc0a14 100644
--- a/plugins/dbms/postgresql/fingerprint.py
+++ b/plugins/dbms/postgresql/fingerprint.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class Fingerprint(GenericFingerprint):
         infoMsg = "testing PostgreSQL"
         logger.info(infoMsg)
 
-        randInt = str(randomInt(1))
+        randInt = unicode(randomInt(1))
 
         payload = agent.fullPayload(" AND %s::int=%s" % (randInt, randInt))
         result  = Request.queryPage(payload)
diff --git a/sqlmap.py b/sqlmap.py
index c7c84083b..0cc1d05ab 100755
--- a/sqlmap.py
+++ b/sqlmap.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def main():
         else:
             start()
     except exceptionsTuple, e:
-        e = str(e)
+        e = unicode(e)
         logger.error(e)
 
     except KeyboardInterrupt: