diff --git a/ietf/utils/validators.py b/ietf/utils/validators.py
index c982fccfa..8ad5a6466 100644
--- a/ietf/utils/validators.py
+++ b/ietf/utils/validators.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-# -*- python -*-
 # Copyright The IETF Trust 2016-2019, All Rights Reserved
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
+
 import os
 import re
 import magic
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ def validate_mime_type(file, valid):
     mime_type, encoding = get_mime_type(raw)
     # work around mis-identification of text where a line has 'virtual' as
     # the first word:
-    if mime_type == 'text/x-c++' and re.search(rb'(?m)^virtual\s', raw):
+    if mime_type == 'text/x-c++' and re.search(br'(?m)^virtual\s', raw):
         mod = raw.replace(b'virtual', b' virtual')
         mime_type, encoding = get_mime_type(mod)
     if valid and not mime_type in valid: