1 files changed, 14 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/bindings/python/notmuch/globals.py b/bindings/python/notmuch/globals.py
index 54a49b2d..32ed9ae4 100644
--- a/bindings/python/notmuch/globals.py
+++ b/bindings/python/notmuch/globals.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ along with notmuch.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 Copyright 2010 Sebastian Spaeth <Sebastian@SSpaeth.de>'
 """
-
+import sys
 from ctypes import CDLL, c_char_p, c_int, Structure, POINTER
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ except:
     raise ImportError("Could not find shared 'notmuch' library.")
 
 
+if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+    class Python3StringMixIn(object):
+        def __str__(self):
+            return unicode(self).encode('utf-8')
+else:
+    class Python3StringMixIn(object):
+        def __str__(self):
+            return self.__unicode__()
+
+
 class Enum(object):
     """Provides ENUMS as "code=Enum(['a','b','c'])" where code.a=0 etc..."""
     def __init__(self, names):
@@ -51,7 +61,7 @@ class Status(Enum):
         """Get a (unicode) string representation of a notmuch_status_t value."""
         # define strings for custom error messages
         if status == STATUS.NOT_INITIALIZED:
-            return u"Operation on uninitialized object impossible."
+            return "Operation on uninitialized object impossible."
         return unicode(Status._status2str(status))
 
 STATUS = Status(['SUCCESS',
@@ -89,7 +99,7 @@ argument to receive a human readable string"""
 STATUS.__name__ = 'STATUS'
 
 
-class NotmuchError(Exception):
+class NotmuchError(Exception, Python3StringMixIn):
     """Is initiated with a (notmuch.STATUS[, message=None]). It will not
     return an instance of the class NotmuchError, but a derived instance
     of a more specific Error Message, e.g. OutOfMemoryError. Each status
@@ -133,16 +143,13 @@ class NotmuchError(Exception):
         self.status = status
         self.message = message
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        return unicode(self).encode('utf-8')
-
     def __unicode__(self):
         if self.message is not None:
             return self.message
         elif self.status is not None:
             return STATUS.status2str(self.status)
         else:
-            return u'Unknown error'
+            return 'Unknown error'
 
 
 # List of Subclassed exceptions that correspond to STATUS values and are