diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/util/user_utils.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/util/user_utils.py
index d5de59a9af..93b6f78f54 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/util/user_utils.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/util/user_utils.py
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@ Custom user-related utility code.
 """
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import six
+
 from django.contrib.auth.models import AnonymousUser
 
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class SystemUser(AnonymousUser):
     """
     A User that can act on behalf of system actions, when a user object is
@@ -15,5 +18,5 @@ class SystemUser(AnonymousUser):
     has no primary key.
     """
     # pylint: disable=abstract-method
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    def __str__(self):
         return u'SystemUser'