diff --git a/pavelib/assets.py b/pavelib/assets.py
index 23e8bbd641..7235531df8 100644
--- a/pavelib/assets.py
+++ b/pavelib/assets.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Asset compilation and collection.
 """
 
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
 import argparse
 import glob
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from functools import wraps
 from threading import Timer
 
+import six
 from paver import tasks
 from paver.easy import call_task, cmdopts, consume_args, needs, no_help, path, sh, task
 from watchdog.events import PatternMatchingEventHandler
-from watchdog.observers.api import DEFAULT_OBSERVER_TIMEOUT
 from watchdog.observers import Observer
+from watchdog.observers.api import DEFAULT_OBSERVER_TIMEOUT
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.theming.paver_helpers import get_theme_paths
 
@@ -110,7 +111,9 @@ def get_sass_directories(system, theme_dir=None):
     :param theme_dir: absolute path of theme for which to compile sass files.
     """
     if system not in SYSTEMS:
-        raise ValueError(u"'system' must be one of ({allowed_values})".format(allowed_values=', '.join(SYSTEMS.keys())))
+        raise ValueError(u"'system' must be one of ({allowed_values})".format(
+            allowed_values=', '.join(list(SYSTEMS.keys())))
+        )
     system = SYSTEMS[system]
 
     applicable_directories = list()
@@ -822,7 +825,7 @@ def listfy(data):
         data: data structure to be converted.
     """
 
-    if isinstance(data, basestring):
+    if isinstance(data, six.string_types):
         data = data.split(',')
     elif not isinstance(data, list):
         data = [data]
@@ -852,7 +855,7 @@ def watch_assets(options):
     themes = get_parsed_option(options, 'themes')
     theme_dirs = get_parsed_option(options, 'theme_dirs', [])
 
-    default_wait = [unicode(DEFAULT_OBSERVER_TIMEOUT)]
+    default_wait = [six.text_type(DEFAULT_OBSERVER_TIMEOUT)]
     wait = float(get_parsed_option(options, 'wait', default_wait)[0])
 
     if not theme_dirs and themes:
diff --git a/pavelib/bok_choy.py b/pavelib/bok_choy.py
index bf159af590..f682cd5bb8 100644
--- a/pavelib/bok_choy.py
+++ b/pavelib/bok_choy.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Run acceptance tests that use the bok-choy framework
 https://bok-choy.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
 """
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
 import os
 
@@ -10,9 +10,7 @@ from paver.easy import cmdopts, needs, sh, task
 
 from pavelib.utils.envs import Env
 from pavelib.utils.passthrough_opts import PassthroughTask
-from pavelib.utils.test.bokchoy_options import (
-    BOKCHOY_OPTS,
-)
+from pavelib.utils.test.bokchoy_options import BOKCHOY_OPTS
 from pavelib.utils.test.suites.bokchoy_suite import BokChoyTestSuite
 from pavelib.utils.test.utils import check_firefox_version
 from pavelib.utils.timer import timed
diff --git a/pavelib/js_test.py b/pavelib/js_test.py
index 5b95013225..3271b553fe 100644
--- a/pavelib/js_test.py
+++ b/pavelib/js_test.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 """
 Javascript test tasks
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import sys
 
 from paver.easy import cmdopts, needs, task
 
 from pavelib.utils.envs import Env
-from pavelib.utils.test.suites import JsTestSuite, JestSnapshotTestSuite
+from pavelib.utils.test.suites import JestSnapshotTestSuite, JsTestSuite
 from pavelib.utils.timer import timed
 
 __test__ = False  # do not collect
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_database.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_database.py
index f3e5c31f77..052004922e 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_database.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_database.py
@@ -1,22 +1,23 @@
 """
 Tests for the Paver commands for updating test databases and its utility methods
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import os
 import shutil
 import tarfile
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
-import os
 from unittest import TestCase
 
 import boto
-from mock import patch, call
+from mock import call, patch
 
 from common.test.utils import MockS3Mixin
-from pavelib.utils.envs import Env
-from pavelib.utils.db_utils import (
-    is_fingerprint_in_bucket, extract_files_from_zip,
-)
-from pavelib.utils import db_utils
 from pavelib import database
+from pavelib.utils import db_utils
+from pavelib.utils.db_utils import extract_files_from_zip, is_fingerprint_in_bucket
+from pavelib.utils.envs import Env
+
 from .utils import PaverTestCase
 
 
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_eslint.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_eslint.py
index effeedb87a..b87b86a656 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_eslint.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_eslint.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Tests for Paver's Stylelint tasks.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import unittest
 
 from mock import patch
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_prereqs.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_prereqs.py
index c1c3c3e0ce..4d527db2c1 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_prereqs.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_prereqs.py
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@
 Tests covering the Open edX Paver prequisites installation workflow
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import os
 import unittest
 
 from mock import patch
 from paver.easy import BuildFailure
 
-from pavelib.paver_tests.utils import PaverTestCase, fail_on_npm_install, unexpected_fail_on_npm_install
 import pavelib.prereqs
+from pavelib.paver_tests.utils import PaverTestCase, fail_on_npm_install, unexpected_fail_on_npm_install
 
 
 class TestPaverPrereqInstall(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_timer.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_timer.py
index 82ce790088..02c148cbdd 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_timer.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_timer.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 Tests of the pavelib.utils.timer module.
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from unittest import TestCase
 
diff --git a/pavelib/prereqs.py b/pavelib/prereqs.py
index d35cd7d9cc..6446afb861 100644
--- a/pavelib/prereqs.py
+++ b/pavelib/prereqs.py
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 """
 Install Python and Node prerequisites.
 """
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
 import hashlib
+import io
 import os
 import re
-import sys
 import subprocess
-import io
+import sys
 from distutils import sysconfig
 
 from paver.easy import BuildFailure, sh, task
+from six.moves import range
 
 from .utils.envs import Env
 from .utils.timer import timed
diff --git a/pavelib/servers.py b/pavelib/servers.py
index f7f36a9f30..fbdd1863b1 100644
--- a/pavelib/servers.py
+++ b/pavelib/servers.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """
 Run and manage servers for local development.
 """
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
 import argparse
 import sys
diff --git a/pavelib/tests.py b/pavelib/tests.py
index 26ff37915a..1d9ba50cfa 100644
--- a/pavelib/tests.py
+++ b/pavelib/tests.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 """
 Unit test tasks
 """
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
+
 import os
 import re
 import sys