diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1b2bbef..61fb32d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ install-notmodule:
 	cp -R distros/* $(DESTDIR)$(SYSCONFDIR)/yumbootstrap/suites
 
 tarball:
-	python setup.py sdist --formats=zip
+	python3 setup.py sdist --formats=zip
 
 egg:
-	python setup.py bdist_egg
+	python3 setup.py bdist_egg
 
 clean:
-	python setup.py clean --all
+	python3 setup.py clean --all
 	rm -rf dist lib/*.egg-info
 #	rm -rf $(SPHINX_DOCTREE) $(SPHINX_OUTPUT)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b5d46ef..8e9fa65 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ Installing yumbootstrap
 -----------------------
 
 For Debian-based distributions, *dpkg-dev*, *fakeroot*, *debhelper* (9+),
-*python*, and *python-setuptools*. For installing the package, *yum* is also
+*python3*, and *python3-setuptools*. For installing the package, *yum* is also
 required.
 
     dpkg-buildpackage -b -uc
     dpkg -i ../yumbootstrap*.deb
 
-For Red Hat derivatives you need *rpm-build*.
+For Red Hat derivatives you need *rpm-build* and *python3-setuptools*.
 
     make srpm
     rpmbuild --rebuild yumbootstrap-*.src.rpm
diff --git a/bin/yumbootstrap b/bin/yumbootstrap
index 6b27bd2..fb5b04c 100755
--- a/bin/yumbootstrap
+++ b/bin/yumbootstrap
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import sys
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ def read_cached_suite(target):
       suite_location['suite_name'],
     )
     return suite
-  except IOError, e:
+  except IOError as e:
     if e.errno == errno.ENOENT:
       raise YBError("\"%s\" is not a prepared target", target, exit = 1)
     else:
@@ -286,17 +286,17 @@ def do_install(opts, suite_name, target):
               suite.name, suite.release, target)
 
   logger.info("preparing empty /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab")
-  os.umask(022)
+  os.umask(0o22)
   # prepare target directory with an empty /etc/fstab
   touch(target, 'etc/fstab', text = '# empty fstab')
   touch(target, 'etc/mtab')
   mkdir(target, "dev/pts")
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/null",    mode = 0666, major = 1, minor = 3)
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/zero",    mode = 0666, major = 1, minor = 5)
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/full",    mode = 0666, major = 1, minor = 7)
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/random",  mode = 0666, major = 1, minor = 8)
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/urandom", mode = 0666, major = 1, minor = 9)
-  mkchardev(target, "dev/tty",     mode = 0666, major = 5, minor = 0)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/null",    mode = 0o666, major = 1, minor = 3)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/zero",    mode = 0o666, major = 1, minor = 5)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/full",    mode = 0o666, major = 1, minor = 7)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/random",  mode = 0o666, major = 1, minor = 8)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/urandom", mode = 0o666, major = 1, minor = 9)
+  mkchardev(target, "dev/tty",     mode = 0o666, major = 5, minor = 0)
 
   if len(opts.repositories) > 0:
     logger.info("using custom repositories: %s",
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ def do_install(opts, suite_name, target):
 
 def do_list_suites(opts):
   for suite in yumbootstrap.suites.list_suites(opts.suite_dir):
-    print suite
+    print(suite)
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ def do_list_scripts(opts, target):
   else:
     suite = read_cached_suite(target)
   for name in suite.post_install.names():
-    print name
+    print(name)
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -424,8 +424,8 @@ try:
     o.error("unrecognized action: %s" % (opts.action,))
 except KeyboardInterrupt:
   pass
-except YBError, e:
-  print >>sys.stderr, e
+except YBError as e:
+  print(e, file=sys.stderr)
   sys.exit(e.code)
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 4c9f55e..292f105 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ Source: yumbootstrap
 Maintainer: Stanislaw Klekot <dozzie@jarowit.net>
 Section: admin
 Priority: extra
-Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 9.0.0), make, python, python-setuptools
+Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 9.0.0), make, python3, python3-setuptools
 # the version is just a wild guess
-X-Python-Version: >= 2.3
+X-Python-Version: >= 3.4
 
 Package: yumbootstrap
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, ${python:Depends}, yum (>> 3.0)
+Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, ${python3:Depends}, yum (>> 3.0)
 Description: Yum-based distributions chroot installer
  yumbootstrap is a tool for installing Yum-based distributions (Red Hat,
  CentOS, Fedora) in a chroot directory. Idea behind it is stolen from Debian's
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 50f9797..39c9436 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make -f
 
 %:
-	dh $@ --with=python2
+	dh $@ --with=python3
 
 override_dh_auto_build:
-	python setup.py build
+	python3 setup.py build
 
 override_dh_auto_install:
 	make install-notmodule DESTDIR=$(CURDIR)/debian/tmp BINDIR=/usr/sbin SYSCONFDIR=/etc
-	python setup.py install --root=$(CURDIR)/debian/tmp --install-layout=deb --no-compile
+	python3 setup.py install --root=$(CURDIR)/debian/tmp --install-layout=deb --no-compile
diff --git a/debian/yumbootstrap.install b/debian/yumbootstrap.install
index 17fb562..a21416c 100644
--- a/debian/yumbootstrap.install
+++ b/debian/yumbootstrap.install
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 /etc/yumbootstrap
 /usr/sbin/yumbootstrap
-/usr/lib/python2.*
+/usr/lib/python3.*
diff --git a/distros/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py b/distros/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
index 29c5e84..78ae896 100755
--- a/distros/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
+++ b/distros/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import time
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@
 target = os.environ['TARGET']
 yumbootstrap_dir = os.environ['YUMBOOTSTRAP_DIR']
 if os.environ['VERBOSE'] == 'true':
-  print time.strftime('[%T] ') + 'removing yumbootstrap directory from target'
+  print(time.strftime('[%T] ') + 'removing yumbootstrap directory from target')
 shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(target, yumbootstrap_dir))
diff --git a/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.old-rpm.py b/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.old-rpm.py
index 396163d..a5828cf 100755
--- a/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.old-rpm.py
+++ b/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.old-rpm.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import time
diff --git a/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py b/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
index 8ac1c3d..5a1d6e4 100755
--- a/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
+++ b/distros/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import time
diff --git a/examples/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py b/examples/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
index 29c5e84..78ae896 100755
--- a/examples/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
+++ b/examples/scripts/clean_yumbootstrap.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import time
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@
 target = os.environ['TARGET']
 yumbootstrap_dir = os.environ['YUMBOOTSTRAP_DIR']
 if os.environ['VERBOSE'] == 'true':
-  print time.strftime('[%T] ') + 'removing yumbootstrap directory from target'
+  print(time.strftime('[%T] ') + 'removing yumbootstrap directory from target')
 shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(target, yumbootstrap_dir))
diff --git a/examples/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py b/examples/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
index ead99dc..a7a8031 100755
--- a/examples/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
+++ b/examples/scripts/fix_rpmdb.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import os
 import time
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/__init__.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/__init__.py
index 6e7e1fe..c51147a 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/bdb.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/bdb.py
deleted file mode 100644
index fb5744a..0000000
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/bdb.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
-import sys
-import bsddb
-
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-# poor man's BDB database dumper
-# this function makes dependencies on host a little lower (BDB in Python
-# should be the same as Yum/RPM use)
-def db_dump(filename, outfile = sys.stdout):
-  try:
-    f = bsddb.hashopen(filename, 'r')
-    db_type = "hash"
-  except:
-    f = bsddb.btopen(filename, 'r')
-    db_type = "btree"
-
-  outfile.write("VERSION=3\n") # magic
-  outfile.write("format=bytevalue\n")
-  outfile.write("type=%s\n" % (db_type))
-
-  outfile.write("HEADER=END\n")
-  for (key,value) in f.iteritems():
-    outfile.write(" ")
-    for c in key:
-      outfile.write("%02x" % ord(c))
-    outfile.write("\n")
-
-    outfile.write(" ")
-    for c in value:
-      outfile.write("%02x" % ord(c))
-    outfile.write("\n")
-  outfile.write("DATA=END\n")
-
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# vim:ft=python
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/exceptions.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/exceptions.py
index 3a6a321..0cac1ef 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/exceptions.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/exceptions.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # usage:
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/fs.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/fs.py
index ce15807..767fcca 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/fs.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/fs.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 import os
 import stat
 
@@ -29,7 +27,7 @@ def mkchardev(*path, **kwargs):
   mkdir(os.path.dirname(new_file))
   major = kwargs["major"]
   minor = kwargs["minor"]
-  mode = kwargs.get("mode", 0666)
+  mode = kwargs.get("mode", 0o666)
 
   try:
     info = os.stat(new_file)
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/log.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/log.py
index d86a695..a4f0fa3 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/log.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/log.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 import logging
 import time
 
@@ -7,7 +5,7 @@
 
 class ProgressHandler(logging.Handler):
   def emit(self, record):
-    print time.strftime('[%T] ') + record.getMessage()
+    print(time.strftime('[%T] ') + record.getMessage())
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # vim:ft=python
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/sh.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/sh.py
index 0949d07..26f6fae 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/sh.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/sh.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 import os
 import subprocess
-from exceptions import YBError
+from yumbootstrap.exceptions import YBError
 
 READ  = object() # read from
 WRITE = object() # write to
@@ -75,6 +73,7 @@ def chroot_fun(*args):
       env = env,
       stdin = open('/dev/null'),
       preexec_fn = chroot_fun,
+      encoding = "utf-8",
     )
     proc.wait()
     check_error(command[0], proc.returncode)
@@ -85,6 +84,7 @@ def chroot_fun(*args):
       stdin = open('/dev/null'),
       stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
       preexec_fn = chroot_fun,
+      encoding = "utf-8",
     )
     (result,_) = proc.communicate()
     check_error(command[0], proc.returncode)
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ def chroot_fun(*args):
       env = env,
       stdin = subprocess.PIPE,
       preexec_fn = chroot_fun,
+      encoding = "utf-8",
     )
     return OutPipe(command[0], proc)
 
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/suites.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/suites.py
index 5f81816..4d1c9bb 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/suites.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/suites.py
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 import re
 import os
 import errno
-from exceptions import YBError
+from yumbootstrap.exceptions import YBError
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -12,7 +10,7 @@ def list_suites(directory):
     result = [fn[:-6] for fn in os.listdir(directory) if fn.endswith('.suite')]
     result.sort()
     return result
-  except OSError, e:
+  except OSError as e:
     if e.errno == errno.ENOENT:
       return []
     raise YBError("Can't access %s: %s", directory, e.args[1], exit = 1)
@@ -28,7 +26,7 @@ def load_suite(directory, suite_name):
 
   try:
     return Suite(suite_name, suite_file)
-  except OSError, e:
+  except OSError as e:
     raise YBError("Can't access %s: %s", directory, e.args[1], exit = 1)
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lib/yumbootstrap/yum.py b/lib/yumbootstrap/yum.py
index 99bffe2..e78cef0 100644
--- a/lib/yumbootstrap/yum.py
+++ b/lib/yumbootstrap/yum.py
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
-import rpm as rpm_mod
 import os
 import shutil
 
-import bdb
-import sh
-import fs
+import yumbootstrap.sh as sh
+import yumbootstrap.fs as fs
 
 import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger("yum")
@@ -148,10 +144,22 @@ def clean(self):
   def fix_rpmdb(self, expected_rpmdb_dir = None,
                 db_load = 'db_load', rpm = 'rpm'):
     logger.info("fixing RPM database for guest")
-    current_rpmdb_dir = rpm_mod.expandMacro('%{_dbpath}')
+
+    # use platform-python if available to read rpm dbpath
+    if os.path.exists('/usr/libexec/platform-python'):
+        platform_python = '/usr/libexec/platform-python'
+    else:
+        platform_python = 'python'
+
+    current_rpmdb_dir = sh.run(
+        [platform_python, '-c', 'import rpm; print(rpm.expandMacro("%{_dbpath}"))'],
+        pipe = sh.READ,
+        env = self.yum_conf.env,
+      ).strip()
+
     if expected_rpmdb_dir is None:
       expected_rpmdb_dir = sh.run(
-        ['python', '-c', 'import rpm; print rpm.expandMacro("%{_dbpath}")'],
+        ['/usr/libexec/platform-python', '-c', 'import rpm; print(rpm.expandMacro("%{_dbpath}"))'],
         chroot = self.chroot,
         pipe = sh.READ,
         env = self.yum_conf.env,
@@ -161,16 +169,25 @@ def fix_rpmdb(self, expected_rpmdb_dir = None,
     rpmdb_dir = os.path.join(self.chroot, current_rpmdb_dir.lstrip('/'))
 
     logger.info('converting "Packages" file')
+
     in_pkg_db = os.path.join(rpmdb_dir, 'Packages')
     tmp_pkg_db = os.path.join(expected_rpmdb_dir, 'Packages.tmp')
     out_pkg_db = os.path.join(expected_rpmdb_dir, 'Packages')
+
+    in_command = sh.run(
+      ['db_dump', in_pkg_db],
+      pipe = sh.READ,
+      env = self.yum_conf.env,
+    )
     out_command = sh.run(
       [db_load, tmp_pkg_db],
       chroot = self.chroot, pipe = sh.WRITE,
       env = self.yum_conf.env,
     )
-    bdb.db_dump(in_pkg_db, out_command)
+    for line in in_command:
+        out_command.write(line)
     out_command.close()
+
     os.rename(
       os.path.join(self.chroot, tmp_pkg_db.lstrip('/')),
       os.path.join(self.chroot, out_pkg_db.lstrip('/'))
diff --git a/redhat/yumbootstrap.spec b/redhat/yumbootstrap.spec
index 8bd5913..9914f42 100644
--- a/redhat/yumbootstrap.spec
+++ b/redhat/yumbootstrap.spec
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 %define _release 1
 %define _packager Stanislaw Klekot <dozzie@jarowit.net>
 
-%define python_sitearch %(%{__python} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print get_python_lib()")
+%{!?__python3: %global __python3 /usr/bin/python3}
+%{!?python3_sitelib: %global python3_sitelib %(%{__python3} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print(get_python_lib())")}
 
 Summary: yumbootstrap - chroot installer for Red Hat derivatives
 Name: yumbootstrap
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ URL: http://dozzie.jarowit.net/trac/wiki/yumbootstrap
 BuildArch: noarch
 Packager: %{_packager}
 Prefix: %{_prefix}
-BuildRequires: python-setuptools
+BuildRequires: python3-setuptools
 Requires: yum >= 3.0
 
 %description
@@ -28,11 +29,11 @@ debootstrap.
 %setup -q
 
 %build
-CFLAGS="$RPM_OPT_FLAGS" %{__python} setup.py build
+CFLAGS="$RPM_OPT_FLAGS" %{__python3} setup.py build
 
 %install
 [ "$RPM_BUILD_ROOT" != "/" ] && rm -rf "$RPM_BUILD_ROOT"
-%{__python} setup.py install --root "$RPM_BUILD_ROOT"
+%{__python3} setup.py install --root "$RPM_BUILD_ROOT"
 make install-notmodule \
   DESTDIR="$RPM_BUILD_ROOT" \
   BINDIR=%{_sbindir} SYSCONFDIR=%{_sysconfdir}
@@ -51,8 +52,8 @@ cp KNOWN_ISSUES.md LICENSE README.md SUITES.md TODO \
 %{_sysconfdir}/yumbootstrap
 #%{_mandir}/man8
 %{_docdir}/yumbootstrap-%{_version}
-%{python_sitearch}/yumbootstrap
-%{python_sitearch}/yumbootstrap-*.egg-info
+%{python3_sitelib}/yumbootstrap
+%{python3_sitelib}/yumbootstrap-*.egg-info
 
 
 # %changelog
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 52aa8e9..b0305ab 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/python3
 
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 from glob import glob