diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/verified_track_content/models.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/verified_track_content/models.py
index 9b17dd9f60..3a80b70485 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/verified_track_content/models.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/verified_track_content/models.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from config_models.models import ConfigurationModel
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.models.signals import post_save, pre_save
 from django.dispatch import receiver
+from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy
 from edx_django_utils.cache import RequestCache
 from opaque_keys.edx.django.models import CourseKeyField
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ def pre_save_callback(sender, instance, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-arg
         instance._old_mode = None  # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
 
+@python_2_unicode_compatible
 class VerifiedTrackCohortedCourse(models.Model):
     """
     Tracks which courses have verified track auto-cohorting enabled.
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ class VerifiedTrackCohortedCourse(models.Model):
 
     CACHE_NAMESPACE = u"verified_track_content.VerifiedTrackCohortedCourse.cache."
 
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    def __str__(self):
         return u"Course: {}, enabled: {}".format(six.text_type(self.course_key), self.enabled)
 
     @classmethod