diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJob.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJob.py
index a10e1de4b5..2b788c2eb8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJob.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJob.py
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class ObjectJob:
         This will also create any TCs stored in the template.'''
         tcs = []
         if template:
-            with open(unicode(template), 'rb') as fp:
+            with open(PathUtil.toUnicode(template), 'rb') as fp:
                 attrs = json.load(fp)
 
             if attrs.get(JobTemplate.Version) and 1 == int(attrs[JobTemplate.Version]):
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJobCmd.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJobCmd.py
index 82289fb03a..0e1b7ee0e9 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJobCmd.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathJobCmd.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import FreeCADGui
 import PathScripts.PathJob as PathJob
 import PathScripts.PathLog as PathLog
 import PathScripts.PathStock as PathStock
+import PathScripts.PathUtil as PathUtil
 import glob
 import json
 import os
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ class CommandJobTemplateExport:
 
         encoded = job.Proxy.setupSheet.encodeTemplateAttributes(attrs)
         # write template
-        with open(unicode(path), 'wb') as fp:
+        with open(PathUtil.toUnicode(path), 'wb') as fp:
             json.dump(encoded, fp, sort_keys=True, indent=2)
 
 if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathSetupSheet.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathSetupSheet.py
index a71ba2d439..964d459e30 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathSetupSheet.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathSetupSheet.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import FreeCAD
 import Path
 import PathScripts.PathLog as PathLog
+import PathScripts.PathUtil as PathUtil
 import PySide
 
 from PathScripts.PathGeom import PathGeom
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ def _traverseTemplateAttributes(attrs, codec):
         elif type(value) == list:
             PathLog.debug("%s is a list" % key)
             coded[key] = [_traverseTemplateAttributes(attr, codec) for attr in value]
-        elif type(value) == str or type(value) == unicode:
+        elif PathUtil.isString(value):
             PathLog.debug("%s is a string" % key)
             coded[key] = codec(value)
         else:
@@ -194,10 +195,10 @@ class SetupSheet:
 
     def encodeAttributeString(self, attr):
         '''encodeAttributeString(attr) ... return the encoded string of a template attribute.'''
-        return unicode(attr.replace(self.expressionReference(), self.TemplateReference))
+        return PathUtil.toUnicode(attr.replace(self.expressionReference(), self.TemplateReference))
     def decodeAttributeString(self, attr):
         '''decodeAttributeString(attr) ... return the decoded string of a template attribute.'''
-        return unicode(attr.replace(self.TemplateReference, self.expressionReference()))
+        return PathUtil.toUnicode(attr.replace(self.TemplateReference, self.expressionReference()))
 
     def encodeTemplateAttributes(self, attrs):
         '''encodeTemplateAttributes(attrs) ... return a dictionary with all values encoded.'''
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathToolLibraryManager.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathToolLibraryManager.py
index 4d783690be..7bbf4c3757 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathToolLibraryManager.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathToolLibraryManager.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import FreeCADGui
 import Path
 import PathScripts
 import PathScripts.PathLog as PathLog
+import PathScripts.PathUtil as PathUtil
 import PathScripts.PathUtils as PathUtils
 import json
 import os
@@ -270,13 +271,13 @@ class ToolLibraryManager():
                 parser = xml.sax.make_parser()
                 parser.setFeature(xml.sax.handler.feature_namespaces, 0)
                 parser.setContentHandler(xmlHandler)
-                parser.parse(unicode(filename[0]))
+                parser.parse(PathUtil.toUnicode(filename[0]))
                 if not xmlHandler.tooltable:
                     return None
 
                 ht = xmlHandler.tooltable
             else:
-                with open(unicode(filename[0]), "rb") as fp:
+                with open(PathUtil.toUnicode(filename[0]), "rb") as fp:
                     ht = self.tooltableFromAttrs(json.load(fp))
 
             tt = self._findList(listname)
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ class ToolLibraryManager():
                     fext = os.path.splitext(name)[1].lower()
                     if fext != ext:
                         name = "{}{}".format(name, ext)
-                    return (open(unicode(name), 'wb'), name)
+                    return (open(PathUtil.toUnicode(name), 'wb'), name)
 
                 if filename[1] == self.TooltableTypeXML:
                     fp,fname = openFileWithExtension(filename[0], '.xml')
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ class ToolLibraryManager():
                     json.dump(self.templateAttrs(tt), fp, sort_keys=True, indent=2)
 
                 fp.close()
-                print("Written ", unicode(fname))
+                print("Written ", PathUtil.toUnicode(fname))
 
             except Exception as e:
                 print("Could not write file:", e)
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtil.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtil.py
index b340c156ff..d2f011c14d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtil.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathUtil.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ other than PathLog, then it probably doesn't belong here.
 '''
 
 import PathScripts.PathLog as PathLog
+import sys
 
 PathLog.setLevel(PathLog.Level.INFO, PathLog.thisModule())
 
@@ -96,3 +97,18 @@ Use this function to remove all expressions before deletion.'''
     if hasattr(obj, 'ExpressionEngine'):
         for attr,expr in obj.ExpressionEngine:
             obj.setExpression(attr, None)
+
+def toUnicode(string):
+    '''toUnicode(string) ... returns a unicode version of string regardless of the python version.'''
+    if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+        return unicode(string)
+    return string
+
+def isString(string):
+    '''isString(string) ... return True if string is a string, regardless of string type and python version.'''
+    if type(string) == str:
+        return True
+    if sys.version_info[0] < 3 and type(string) == unicode:
+        return True
+    return False
+