diff --git a/test/helper.py b/test/helper.py
index 7f3ab84387..53494196e5 100644
--- a/test/helper.py
+++ b/test/helper.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import errno
 import io
 import hashlib
@@ -40,10 +42,10 @@ def report_warning(message):
     If stderr is a tty file the 'WARNING:' will be colored
     '''
     if sys.stderr.isatty() and os.name != 'nt':
-        _msg_header = u'\033[0;33mWARNING:\033[0m'
+        _msg_header = '\033[0;33mWARNING:\033[0m'
     else:
-        _msg_header = u'WARNING:'
-    output = u'%s %s\n' % (_msg_header, message)
+        _msg_header = 'WARNING:'
+    output = '%s %s\n' % (_msg_header, message)
     if 'b' in getattr(sys.stderr, 'mode', '') or sys.version_info[0] < 3:
         output = output.encode(preferredencoding())
     sys.stderr.write(output)
@@ -103,22 +105,22 @@ def expect_info_dict(self, expected_dict, got_dict):
 
             self.assertTrue(
                 isinstance(got, compat_str),
-                u'Expected a %s object, but got %s for field %s' % (
+                'Expected a %s object, but got %s for field %s' % (
                     compat_str.__name__, type(got).__name__, info_field))
             self.assertTrue(
                 match_rex.match(got),
-                u'field %s (value: %r) should match %r' % (info_field, got, match_str))
+                'field %s (value: %r) should match %r' % (info_field, got, match_str))
         elif isinstance(expected, type):
             got = got_dict.get(info_field)
             self.assertTrue(isinstance(got, expected),
-                u'Expected type %r for field %s, but got value %r of type %r' % (expected, info_field, got, type(got)))
+                'Expected type %r for field %s, but got value %r of type %r' % (expected, info_field, got, type(got)))
         else:
             if isinstance(expected, compat_str) and expected.startswith('md5:'):
                 got = 'md5:' + md5(got_dict.get(info_field))
             else:
                 got = got_dict.get(info_field)
             self.assertEqual(expected, got,
-                u'invalid value for field %s, expected %r, got %r' % (info_field, expected, got))
+                'invalid value for field %s, expected %r, got %r' % (info_field, expected, got))
 
     # Check for the presence of mandatory fields
     if got_dict.get('_type') != 'playlist':
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ def expect_info_dict(self, expected_dict, got_dict):
             self.assertTrue(got_dict.get(key), 'Missing mandatory field %s' % key)
     # Check for mandatory fields that are automatically set by YoutubeDL
     for key in ['webpage_url', 'extractor', 'extractor_key']:
-        self.assertTrue(got_dict.get(key), u'Missing field: %s' % key)
+        self.assertTrue(got_dict.get(key), 'Missing field: %s' % key)
 
     # Are checkable fields missing from the test case definition?
     test_info_dict = dict((key, value if not isinstance(value, compat_str) or len(value) < 250 else 'md5:' + md5(value))
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ def expect_info_dict(self, expected_dict, got_dict):
         if value and key in ('title', 'description', 'uploader', 'upload_date', 'timestamp', 'uploader_id', 'location'))
     missing_keys = set(test_info_dict.keys()) - set(expected_dict.keys())
     if missing_keys:
-        sys.stderr.write(u'\n"info_dict": ' + json.dumps(test_info_dict, ensure_ascii=False, indent=4) + u'\n')
+        sys.stderr.write('\n"info_dict": ' + json.dumps(test_info_dict, ensure_ascii=False, indent=4) + '\n')
         self.assertFalse(
             missing_keys,
             'Missing keys in test definition: %s' % (