diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/textbooks.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/textbooks.py
index cd756b2242..9b46dabc51 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/textbooks.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/textbooks.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def check_textbook(_step, textbook_name, chapter_name):
     assert_equal(chapter, chapter_name)
 
 
-@step(u'I should see a textbook named "([^"]*)" with (\d+) chapters')
+@step(r'I should see a textbook named "([^"]*)" with (\d+) chapters')
 def check_textbook_chapters(_step, textbook_name, num_chapters_str):
     num_chapters = int(num_chapters_str)
     title = world.css_text(".textbook .view-textbook h3.textbook-title", index=0)
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/transcripts.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/transcripts.py
index e9e25958aa..87f41b3a9f 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/transcripts.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/transcripts.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def i_see_button(_step, not_see, button_type):
         assert world.css_has_text(TRANSCRIPTS_BUTTONS[button][0], TRANSCRIPTS_BUTTONS[button][1])
 
 
-@step('I (.*)see (.*)button "([^"]*)" number (\d+)$')
+@step(r'I (.*)see (.*)button "([^"]*)" number (\d+)$')
 def i_see_button_with_custom_text(_step, not_see, button_type, custom_text, index):
     button = button_type.strip()
     custom_text = custom_text.strip()
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def click_button_transcripts_variant(_step, button_type):
     world.wait_for_ajax_complete()
 
 
-@step('I click transcript button "([^"]*)" number (\d+)$')
+@step(r'I click transcript button "([^"]*)" number (\d+)$')
 def click_button_index(_step, button_type, index):
     button = button_type.strip()
     index = int(index.strip()) - 1
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ def remove_transcripts_from_store(_step, subs_id):
         print 'Transcript file was NOT found and not removed.'
 
 
-@step('I enter a "([^"]+)" source to field number (\d+)$')
+@step(r'I enter a "([^"]+)" source to field number (\d+)$')
 def i_enter_a_source(_step, link, index):
     index = int(index) - 1
 
diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/inputtypes.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/inputtypes.py
index 238b111a22..f5d079ac64 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/inputtypes.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/inputtypes.py
@@ -1614,7 +1614,7 @@ class AnnotationInput(InputTypeBase):
 
 @registry.register
 class ChoiceTextGroup(InputTypeBase):
-    """
+    r"""
     Groups of radiobutton/checkboxes with text inputs.
 
     Examples:
diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
index 1a1c0179e9..921148b1f7 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
@@ -1942,7 +1942,7 @@ class NumericalResponse(LoncapaResponse):
 
 @registry.register
 class StringResponse(LoncapaResponse):
-    """
+    r"""
     This response type allows one or more answers.
 
     Additional answers are added by `additional_answer` tag.
diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
index 35b61f003e..e3f486ccbf 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ class StringResponseTest(ResponseTest):  # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
             "Martin Luther King"
         ]
 
-        problem = self.build_problem(answer="\w*\.?.*Luther King\s*.*", case_sensitive=True, regexp=True)
+        problem = self.build_problem(answer=r"\w*\.?.*Luther King\s*.*", case_sensitive=True, regexp=True)
 
         for answer in answers:
             self.assert_grade(problem, answer, "correct")
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ class StringResponseTest(ResponseTest):  # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
         self.assert_grade(problem, u"o", "incorrect")
 
     def test_backslash_and_unicode_regexps(self):
-        """
+        r"""
         Test some special cases of [unicode] regexps.
 
         One needs to use either r'' strings or write real `repr` of unicode strings, because of the following
@@ -715,14 +715,14 @@ class StringResponseTest(ResponseTest):  # pylint: disable=missing-docstring
             So  a\d in front-end editor will become a\\\\d in xml,  so it will match a1 as student answer.
         """
         problem = self.build_problem(answer=ur"5\\æ", case_sensitive=False, regexp=True)
-        self.assert_grade(problem, u"5\æ", "correct")
+        self.assert_grade(problem, ur"5\æ", "correct")
 
         problem = self.build_problem(answer=u"5\\\\æ", case_sensitive=False, regexp=True)
-        self.assert_grade(problem, u"5\æ", "correct")
+        self.assert_grade(problem, ur"5\æ", "correct")
 
     def test_backslash(self):
         problem = self.build_problem(answer=u"a\\\\c1", case_sensitive=False, regexp=True)
-        self.assert_grade(problem, u"a\c1", "correct")
+        self.assert_grade(problem, ur"a\c1", "correct")
 
     def test_special_chars(self):
         problem = self.build_problem(answer=ur"a \s1", case_sensitive=False, regexp=True)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/lti.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/lti.py
index fcefc44f64..4e5f958318 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/lti.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/lti.py
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def set_incorrect_lti_passport(_step):
     i_am_registered_for_the_course(coursenum, metadata)
 
 
-@step('the course has an LTI component with (.*) fields(?:\:)?$')  # , new_page is(.*), graded is(.*)
+@step(r'the course has an LTI component with (.*) fields(?:\:)?$')  # , new_page is(.*), graded is(.*)
 def add_correct_lti_to_course(_step, fields):
     category = 'lti'
     metadata = {
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/features/data_download.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/features/data_download.py
index 6701a52c06..1a628e8bde 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/features/data_download.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/features/data_download.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def verify_report_is_generated(report_name_substring):
     world.wait_for_visible('#report-downloads-table')
     # Find table and assert a .csv file is present
     quoted_id = http.urlquote(world.course_key).replace('/', '_')
-    expected_file_regexp = quoted_id + '_' + report_name_substring + '_\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{4}\.csv'
+    expected_file_regexp = quoted_id + '_' + report_name_substring + r'_\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{4}\.csv'
     assert_regexp_matches(
         world.css_html('#report-downloads-table'), expected_file_regexp,
         msg="Expected report filename was not found."
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource.py b/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource.py
index 50bbabf7aa..b5e84453c1 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource.py
@@ -219,9 +219,9 @@ def record_purchase(params, order):
     Record the purchase and run purchased_callbacks
     """
     ccnum_str = params.get('card_accountNumber', '')
-    m = re.search("\d", ccnum_str)
-    if m:
-        ccnum = ccnum_str[m.start():]
+    first_digit = re.search(r"\d", ccnum_str)
+    if first_digit:
+        ccnum = ccnum_str[first_digit.start():]
     else:
         ccnum = "####"
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource2.py b/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource2.py
index 1410f31683..6720c17f71 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource2.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/shoppingcart/processors/CyberSource2.py
@@ -404,9 +404,9 @@ def _record_purchase(params, order):
     # Parse the string to retrieve the digits.
     # If we can't find any digits, use placeholder values instead.
     ccnum_str = params.get('req_card_number', '')
-    mm = re.search("\d", ccnum_str)
-    if mm:
-        ccnum = ccnum_str[mm.start():]
+    first_digit = re.search(r"\d", ccnum_str)
+    if first_digit:
+        ccnum = ccnum_str[first_digit.start():]
     else:
         ccnum = "####"
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/student_account/test/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/student_account/test/test_views.py
index ae710ef36d..0941ba8170 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/student_account/test/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/student_account/test/test_views.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class StudentAccountUpdateTest(CacheIsolationTestCase, UrlResetMixin):
 
         # Retrieve the activation link from the email body
         email_body = mail.outbox[0].body
-        result = re.search('(?P<url>https?://[^\s]+)', email_body)
+        result = re.search(r'(?P<url>https?://[^\s]+)', email_body)
         self.assertIsNot(result, None)
         activation_link = result.group('url')
 
diff --git a/lms/envs/cms/dev.py b/lms/envs/cms/dev.py
index 275ff8fdeb..4e1f761ceb 100644
--- a/lms/envs/cms/dev.py
+++ b/lms/envs/cms/dev.py
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ DEBUG_TOOLBAR_PANELS += (
     'debug_toolbar_mongo.panel.MongoDebugPanel',
 )
 
-# HOSTNAME_MODULESTORE_DEFAULT_MAPPINGS defines, as dictionary of regex's, a set of mappings of HTTP request hostnames to
-# what the 'default' modulestore to use while processing the request
-# for example 'preview.edx.org' should use the draft modulestore
+# HOSTNAME_MODULESTORE_DEFAULT_MAPPINGS defines, as dictionary of regex's, a
+# set of mappings of HTTP request hostnames to what the 'default' modulestore
+# to use while processing the request.
+# for example 'preview.edx.org' should use the draft modulestore.
 HOSTNAME_MODULESTORE_DEFAULT_MAPPINGS = {
-    'preview\.': 'draft-preferred'
+    r'preview\.': 'draft-preferred'
 }