diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/config/__init__.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/config/__init__.py
index cdab9d0e00..7f46f757f3 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/config/__init__.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/config/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 Discussion settings and flags.
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.waffle_utils import WaffleFlag, WaffleFlagNamespace
 
 # Namespace for course experience waffle flags.
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/serializers.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/serializers.py
index 206d4958ec..eceedab956 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/serializers.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/serializers.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import six
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.http import Http404
 from rest_framework import serializers
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ class NotifierUserSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         for enrollment in user.courseenrollment_set.all():
             if enrollment.is_active:
                 try:
-                    ret[unicode(enrollment.course_id)] = {
+                    ret[six.text_type(enrollment.course_id)] = {
                         "cohort_id": cohort_id_map.get(enrollment.course_id),
                         "see_all_cohorts": (
                             enrollment.course_id in see_all_cohorts_set or
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/tests.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/tests.py
index ccaee5044e..71dc50699c 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/tests.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/tests.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import itertools
 
 import ddt
+import six
+from six.moves import range
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test.client import RequestFactory
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
@@ -20,8 +23,6 @@ from student.tests.factories import CourseEnrollmentFactory, UserFactory
 from util.testing import UrlResetMixin
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory
-import six
-from six.moves import range
 
 
 @ddt.ddt
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/urls.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/urls.py
index 14b4bc1b06..62d8eff7aa 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/urls.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/urls.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 URLs for the notifier api app
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from django.conf.urls import include, url
 from rest_framework import routers
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/views.py
index d09ecaeb00..18059865c7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/discussion/notifier_api/views.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Django views for the Notifier.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from rest_framework import pagination
 from rest_framework.response import Response