diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/log.py b/cli/dcoscli/log.py
index 9f818dc53..711bf1c70 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/log.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/log.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 import sys
 import time
 
+import six
+
 from dcos import emitting, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException
 
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ def _stream_files(curr_header, fn, mesos_files):
         if lines:
             curr_header = _output(curr_header,
                                   len(reachable_files) > 1,
-                                  str(mesos_file),
+                                  six.text_type(mesos_file),
                                   lines)
 
     return curr_header, reachable_files
diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/main.py b/cli/dcoscli/main.py
index 9cbbad8da..01c68f573 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/main.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/main.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import dcoscli
 import docopt
+import six
 from dcos import constants, emitting, errors, http, subcommand, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException
 from dcoscli.subcommand import SubcommandMain, default_doc
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ def set_ssl_info_env_vars(config):
     if 'core.ssl_verify' in config and (
             not os.environ.get(constants.DCOS_SSL_VERIFY_ENV)):
 
-        os.environ[constants.DCOS_SSL_VERIFY_ENV] = str(
+        os.environ[constants.DCOS_SSL_VERIFY_ENV] = six.text_type(
             config['core.ssl_verify'])
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/marathon/main.py b/cli/dcoscli/marathon/main.py
index ce7fa33ee..43f037a14 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/marathon/main.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/marathon/main.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import dcoscli
 import docopt
 import pkg_resources
+import six
 from dcos import cmds, emitting, http, jsonitem, marathon, options, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException
 from dcoscli import tables
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ def _list(json_):
     else:
         deployments = client.get_deployments()
         table = tables.app_table(apps, deployments)
-        output = str(table)
+        output = six.text_type(table)
         if output:
             emitter.publish(output)
 
diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/node/main.py b/cli/dcoscli/node/main.py
index c26d4e7b1..dfe6064fa 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/node/main.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/node/main.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 import dcoscli
 import docopt
+import six
 from dcos import cmds, emitting, errors, mesos, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException, DefaultError
 from dcoscli import log, tables
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ def _list(json_):
         emitter.publish(slaves)
     else:
         table = tables.slave_table(slaves)
-        output = str(table)
+        output = six.text_type(table)
         if output:
             emitter.publish(output)
         else:
diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/service/main.py b/cli/dcoscli/service/main.py
index e3db0bc5b..740f7235b 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/service/main.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/service/main.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import dcoscli
 import docopt
+import six
 from dcos import cmds, emitting, marathon, mesos, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException, DefaultError
 from dcoscli import log, tables
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ def _service(inactive, completed, is_json):
         emitter.publish([service.dict() for service in services])
     else:
         table = tables.service_table(services)
-        output = str(table)
+        output = six.text_type(table)
         if output:
             emitter.publish(output)
 
diff --git a/cli/dcoscli/task/main.py b/cli/dcoscli/task/main.py
index 22bfbf7fb..68be6b5d4 100644
--- a/cli/dcoscli/task/main.py
+++ b/cli/dcoscli/task/main.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import dcoscli
 import docopt
+import six
 from dcos import cmds, emitting, mesos, util
 from dcos.errors import DCOSException, DCOSHTTPException, DefaultError
 from dcoscli import log, tables
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ def _task(fltr, completed, json_):
         emitter.publish([task.dict() for task in tasks])
     else:
         table = tables.task_table(tasks)
-        output = str(table)
+        output = six.text_type(table)
         if output:
             emitter.publish(output)
 
diff --git a/dcos/emitting.py b/dcos/emitting.py
index 2f20a86f4..6e4e9bec8 100644
--- a/dcos/emitting.py
+++ b/dcos/emitting.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def publish_table(emitter, objs, table_fn, json_):
         emitter.publish(objs)
     else:
         table = table_fn(objs)
-        output = str(table)
+        output = six.text_type(table)
         if output:
             emitter.publish(output)
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def _page(output, pager_command=None):
     :type pager_command: str
     """
 
-    output = str(output)
+    output = six.text_type(output)
 
     if pager_command is None:
         pager_command = 'less -R'
diff --git a/dcos/util.py b/dcos/util.py
index dde7f3177..faa89eb95 100644
--- a/dcos/util.py
+++ b/dcos/util.py
@@ -431,7 +431,9 @@ def _format_validation_error(error):
         message = 'Error: {}\n'.format(error_message)
         if len(error.absolute_path) > 0:
             message += 'Path: {}\n'.format(
-                       '.'.join([str(path) for path in error.absolute_path]))
+                       '.'.join(
+                           [six.text_type(path)
+                            for path in error.absolute_path]))
         message += 'Value: {}'.format(json.dumps(error.instance))
 
     return message
@@ -478,7 +480,7 @@ def create_schema(obj):
     else:
         raise ValueError(
             'Cannot create schema with object {} of unrecognized type'
-            .format(str(obj)))
+            .format(six.text_type(obj)))
 
 
 def list_to_err(errs):