diff --git a/LabController/src/bkr/labcontroller/provision.py b/LabController/src/bkr/labcontroller/provision.py
index 9476df773..e0c7417d4 100644
--- a/LabController/src/bkr/labcontroller/provision.py
+++ b/LabController/src/bkr/labcontroller/provision.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 from bkr.labcontroller import netboot
 import utils
 
+import six
+
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class CommandQueuePoller(ProxyHelper):
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ def handle(self, command, predecessors):
         except netboot.ImageFetchingError as e:
             logger.exception('Error processing command %s', command['id'])
             # It's not the system's fault so don't mark it as broken
-            self.mark_command_failed(command['id'], unicode(e), False)
+            self.mark_command_failed(command['id'], six.text_type(e), False)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.exception('Error processing command %s', command['id'])
             self.mark_command_failed(command['id'],