diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/handlers.py b/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/handlers.py
index 6e288dfbba..a1f8d482e0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/handlers.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/handlers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """
 Grades related signals.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from logging import getLogger
 
@@ -166,8 +167,8 @@ def score_published_handler(sender, block, user, raw_earned, raw_possible, only_
             raw_possible=raw_possible,
             weight=getattr(block, 'weight', None),
             user_id=user.id,
-            course_id=unicode(block.location.course_key),
-            usage_id=unicode(block.location),
+            course_id=six.text_type(block.location.course_key),
+            usage_id=six.text_type(block.location),
             only_if_higher=only_if_higher,
             modified=score_modified_time,
             score_db_table=ScoreDatabaseTableEnum.courseware_student_module,
@@ -224,8 +225,8 @@ def enqueue_subsection_update(sender, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argum
             only_if_higher=kwargs.get('only_if_higher'),
             expected_modified_time=to_timestamp(kwargs['modified']),
             score_deleted=kwargs.get('score_deleted', False),
-            event_transaction_id=unicode(get_event_transaction_id()),
-            event_transaction_type=unicode(get_event_transaction_type()),
+            event_transaction_id=six.text_type(get_event_transaction_id()),
+            event_transaction_type=six.text_type(get_event_transaction_type()),
             score_db_table=kwargs['score_db_table'],
             force_update_subsections=kwargs.get('force_update_subsections', False),
         ),
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/signals.py
index 5a7b0aee35..07acba5360 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/grades/signals/signals.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """
 Grades related signals.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 from django.dispatch import Signal
 
 # Signal that indicates that a user's grade for a course has been updated.