diff --git a/tests/python/test_debuginfo.py b/tests/python/test_debuginfo.py
index 23ff7602ac1e..ba4bdd6a1e59 100755
--- a/tests/python/test_debuginfo.py
+++ b/tests/python/test_debuginfo.py
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ def grab_sym(self):
         # Grab the first symbol in kallsyms that has type 't' or 'T'.
         # Also, find all aliases of this symbol which are identifiable
         # by the same address.
-        with open("/proc/kallsyms") as f:
+        with open("/proc/kallsyms", "rb") as f:
             for line in f:
 
                 # Extract the first 3 columns only. The 4th column
                 # containing the module name may not exist for all
                 # symbols.
                 (addr, t, name) = line.strip().split()[:3]
-                if t == "t" or t == "T":
+                if t == b"t" or t == b"T":
                     if not address:
                         address = addr
                     if addr == address:
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def grab_sym(self):
         return (address, aliases)
 
     def test_ksymname(self):
-        sym = BPF.ksymname("__kmalloc")
+        sym = BPF.ksymname(b"__kmalloc")
         self.assertIsNotNone(sym)
         self.assertNotEqual(sym, 0)
 
@@ -58,21 +58,23 @@ def setUp(self):
     def tearDown(self):
         self.process.kill()
         self.process.wait()
+        self.process.stdout.close()
+        self.process = None
 
     def resolve_addr(self):
         sym, offset, module = self.syms.resolve(self.addr, False)
         self.assertEqual(sym, self.mangled_name)
         self.assertEqual(offset, 0)
-        self.assertTrue(module[-5:] == 'dummy')
+        self.assertTrue(module[-5:] == b'dummy')
         sym, offset, module = self.syms.resolve(self.addr, True)
-        self.assertEqual(sym, 'some_namespace::some_function(int, int)')
+        self.assertEqual(sym, b'some_namespace::some_function(int, int)')
         self.assertEqual(offset, 0)
-        self.assertTrue(module[-5:] == 'dummy')
+        self.assertTrue(module[-5:] == b'dummy')
 
 
     def resolve_name(self):
-        script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-        addr = self.syms.resolve_name(os.path.join(script_dir, 'dummy'),
+        script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__).encode("utf8"))
+        addr = self.syms.resolve_name(os.path.join(script_dir, b'dummy'),
                                       self.mangled_name)
         self.assertEqual(addr, self.addr)
         pass
@@ -82,8 +84,8 @@ def build_command(self):
         subprocess.check_output('g++ -o dummy dummy.cc'.split())
         lines = subprocess.check_output('nm dummy'.split()).splitlines()
         for line in lines:
-            if "some_function" in line:
-                self.mangled_name = line.split(' ')[2]
+            if b"some_function" in line:
+                self.mangled_name = line.split(b' ')[2]
                 break
         self.assertTrue(self.mangled_name)
 
@@ -108,8 +110,8 @@ def build_command(self):
                .split())
         lines = subprocess.check_output('nm dummy'.split()).splitlines()
         for line in lines:
-            if "some_function" in line:
-                self.mangled_name = line.split(' ')[2]
+            if b"some_function" in line:
+                self.mangled_name = line.split(b' ')[2]
                 break
         self.assertTrue(self.mangled_name)
 
diff --git a/tests/python/test_probe_count.py b/tests/python/test_probe_count.py
index 3c3001ca4729..df0baa221f3b 100755
--- a/tests/python/test_probe_count.py
+++ b/tests/python/test_probe_count.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) Suchakra Sharma <suchakrapani.sharma@polymtl.ca>
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License")
 
-from bcc import BPF, _get_num_open_probes
+from bcc import BPF, _get_num_open_probes, TRACEFS
 import os
 import sys
 from unittest import main, TestCase
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ def setUp(self):
 
     def test_attach1(self):
         actual_cnt = 0
-        with open("/sys/kernel/debug/tracing/available_filter_functions") as f:
+        with open("%s/available_filter_functions" % TRACEFS, "rb") as f:
             for line in f:
-                if str(line).startswith("vfs_"):
+                if line.startswith(b"vfs_"):
                     actual_cnt += 1
         open_cnt = self.b.num_open_kprobes()
         self.assertEqual(actual_cnt, open_cnt)
diff --git a/tests/python/test_stackid.py b/tests/python/test_stackid.py
index 481adbd3f953..4d258d72caf6 100755
--- a/tests/python/test_stackid.py
+++ b/tests/python/test_stackid.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def test_simple(self):
         stackid = stack_entries[k]
         self.assertIsNotNone(stackid)
         stack = stack_traces[stackid].ip
-        self.assertEqual(b.ksym(stack[0]), "htab_map_lookup_elem")
+        self.assertEqual(b.ksym(stack[0]), b"htab_map_lookup_elem")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tools/cachestat.py b/tools/cachestat.py
index 868b370894b0..ef6a7489fa52 100755
--- a/tools/cachestat.py
+++ b/tools/cachestat.py
@@ -138,16 +138,16 @@ def usage():
     counts = b.get_table("counts")
     for k, v in sorted(counts.items(), key=lambda counts: counts[1].value):
 
-        if re.match('mark_page_accessed', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
+        if re.match(b'mark_page_accessed', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
             mpa = max(0, v.value)
 
-        if re.match('mark_buffer_dirty', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
+        if re.match(b'mark_buffer_dirty', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
             mbd = max(0, v.value)
 
-        if re.match('add_to_page_cache_lru', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
+        if re.match(b'add_to_page_cache_lru', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
             apcl = max(0, v.value)
 
-        if re.match('account_page_dirtied', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
+        if re.match(b'account_page_dirtied', b.ksym(k.ip)) is not None:
             apd = max(0, v.value)
 
         # access = total cache access incl. reads(mpa) and writes(mbd)
diff --git a/tools/execsnoop.py b/tools/execsnoop.py
index 9b406dfd335d..77f44ae6911a 100755
--- a/tools/execsnoop.py
+++ b/tools/execsnoop.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from bcc import BPF
+from bcc.utils import ArgString, printb
+import bcc.utils as utils
 import argparse
 import ctypes as ct
 import re
@@ -41,8 +43,10 @@
 parser.add_argument("-x", "--fails", action="store_true",
     help="include failed exec()s")
 parser.add_argument("-n", "--name",
+    type=ArgString,
     help="only print commands matching this name (regex), any arg")
 parser.add_argument("-l", "--line",
+    type=ArgString,
     help="only print commands where arg contains this line (regex)")
 parser.add_argument("--max-args", default="20",
     help="maximum number of arguments parsed and displayed, defaults to 20")
@@ -186,19 +190,19 @@ def print_event(cpu, data, size):
     elif event.type == EventType.EVENT_RET:
         if event.retval != 0 and not args.fails:
             skip = True
-        if args.name and not re.search(args.name, event.comm):
+        if args.name and not re.search(bytes(args.name), event.comm):
             skip = True
-        if args.line and not re.search(args.line,
-                                       b' '.join(argv[event.pid]).decode()):
+        if args.line and not re.search(bytes(args.line),
+                                       b' '.join(argv[event.pid])):
             skip = True
 
         if not skip:
             if args.timestamp:
                 print("%-8.3f" % (time.time() - start_ts), end="")
             ppid = get_ppid(event.pid)
-            print("%-16s %-6s %-6s %3s %s" % (event.comm.decode(), event.pid,
-                    ppid if ppid > 0 else "?", event.retval,
-                    b' '.join(argv[event.pid]).decode()))
+            ppid = b"%d" % ppid if ppid > 0 else b"?"
+            printb(b"%-16s %-6d %-6s %3d %s" % (event.comm, event.pid,
+                   ppid, event.retval, b' '.join(argv[event.pid])))
         try:
             del(argv[event.pid])
         except Exception:
diff --git a/tools/funccount.py b/tools/funccount.py
index 19c9a98ce6c5..69dd01c8cada 100755
--- a/tools/funccount.py
+++ b/tools/funccount.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # 18-Oct-2016   Sasha Goldshtein    Generalized for uprobes, tracepoints, USDT.
 
 from __future__ import print_function
-from bcc import BPF, USDT
+from bcc import ArgString, BPF, USDT
 from time import sleep, strftime
 import argparse
 import os
@@ -49,15 +49,15 @@ def __init__(self, pattern, use_regex=False, pid=None):
             t:cat:event     -- probe a kernel tracepoint
             u:lib:probe     -- probe a USDT tracepoint
         """
-        parts = pattern.split(':')
+        parts = bytes(pattern).split(b':')
         if len(parts) == 1:
-            parts = ["p", "", parts[0]]
+            parts = [b"p", b"", parts[0]]
         elif len(parts) == 2:
-            parts = ["p", parts[0], parts[1]]
+            parts = [b"p", parts[0], parts[1]]
         elif len(parts) == 3:
-            if parts[0] == "t":
-                parts = ["t", "", "%s:%s" % tuple(parts[1:])]
-            if parts[0] not in ["p", "t", "u"]:
+            if parts[0] == b"t":
+                parts = [b"t", b"", b"%s:%s" % tuple(parts[1:])]
+            if parts[0] not in [b"p", b"t", b"u"]:
                 raise Exception("Type must be 'p', 't', or 'u', but got %s" %
                                 parts[0])
         else:
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ def __init__(self, pattern, use_regex=False, pid=None):
 
         (self.type, self.library, self.pattern) = parts
         if not use_regex:
-            self.pattern = self.pattern.replace('*', '.*')
-            self.pattern = '^' + self.pattern + '$'
+            self.pattern = self.pattern.replace(b'*', b'.*')
+            self.pattern = b'^' + self.pattern + b'$'
 
-        if (self.type == "p" and self.library) or self.type == "u":
+        if (self.type == b"p" and self.library) or self.type == b"u":
             libpath = BPF.find_library(self.library)
             if libpath is None:
                 # This might be an executable (e.g. 'bash')
@@ -83,46 +83,46 @@ def __init__(self, pattern, use_regex=False, pid=None):
         self.trace_functions = {}   # map location number to function name
 
     def is_kernel_probe(self):
-        return self.type == "t" or (self.type == "p" and self.library == "")
+        return self.type == b"t" or (self.type == b"p" and self.library == b"")
 
     def attach(self):
-        if self.type == "p" and not self.library:
+        if self.type == b"p" and not self.library:
             for index, function in self.trace_functions.items():
                 self.bpf.attach_kprobe(
                         event=function,
                         fn_name="trace_count_%d" % index)
-        elif self.type == "p" and self.library:
+        elif self.type == b"p" and self.library:
             for index, function in self.trace_functions.items():
                 self.bpf.attach_uprobe(
                         name=self.library,
                         sym=function,
                         fn_name="trace_count_%d" % index,
                         pid=self.pid or -1)
-        elif self.type == "t":
+        elif self.type == b"t":
             for index, function in self.trace_functions.items():
                 self.bpf.attach_tracepoint(
                         tp=function,
                         fn_name="trace_count_%d" % index)
-        elif self.type == "u":
+        elif self.type == b"u":
             pass    # Nothing to do -- attach already happened in `load`
 
     def _add_function(self, template, probe_name):
-        new_func = "trace_count_%d" % self.matched
-        text = template.replace("PROBE_FUNCTION", new_func)
-        text = text.replace("LOCATION", str(self.matched))
+        new_func = b"trace_count_%d" % self.matched
+        text = template.replace(b"PROBE_FUNCTION", new_func)
+        text = text.replace(b"LOCATION", b"%d" % self.matched)
         self.trace_functions[self.matched] = probe_name
         self.matched += 1
         return text
 
     def _generate_functions(self, template):
         self.usdt = None
-        text = ""
-        if self.type == "p" and not self.library:
+        text = b""
+        if self.type == b"p" and not self.library:
             functions = BPF.get_kprobe_functions(self.pattern)
             verify_limit(len(functions))
             for function in functions:
                 text += self._add_function(template, function)
-        elif self.type == "p" and self.library:
+        elif self.type == b"p" and self.library:
             # uprobes are tricky because the same function may have multiple
             # addresses, and the same address may be mapped to multiple
             # functions. We aren't allowed to create more than one uprobe
@@ -139,12 +139,12 @@ def _generate_functions(self, template):
                 addresses.add(address)
                 functions.add(function)
                 text += self._add_function(template, function)
-        elif self.type == "t":
+        elif self.type == b"t":
             tracepoints = BPF.get_tracepoints(self.pattern)
             verify_limit(len(tracepoints))
             for tracepoint in tracepoints:
                 text += self._add_function(template, tracepoint)
-        elif self.type == "u":
+        elif self.type == b"u":
             self.usdt = USDT(path=self.library, pid=self.pid)
             matches = []
             for probe in self.usdt.enumerate_probes():
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def _generate_functions(self, template):
                     matches.append(probe.name)
             verify_limit(len(matches))
             for match in matches:
-                new_func = "trace_count_%d" % self.matched
+                new_func = b"trace_count_%d" % self.matched
                 text += self._add_function(template, match)
                 self.usdt.enable_probe(match, new_func)
             if debug:
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def _generate_functions(self, template):
         return text
 
     def load(self):
-        trace_count_text = """
+        trace_count_text = b"""
 int PROBE_FUNCTION(void *ctx) {
     FILTER
     int loc = LOCATION;
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def load(self):
     return 0;
 }
         """
-        bpf_text = """#include <uapi/linux/ptrace.h>
+        bpf_text = b"""#include <uapi/linux/ptrace.h>
 
 BPF_ARRAY(counts, u64, NUMLOCATIONS);
         """
@@ -182,15 +182,15 @@ def load(self):
         # We really mean the tgid from the kernel's perspective, which is in
         # the top 32 bits of bpf_get_current_pid_tgid().
         if self.pid:
-            trace_count_text = trace_count_text.replace('FILTER',
-                """u32 pid = bpf_get_current_pid_tgid() >> 32;
+            trace_count_text = trace_count_text.replace(b'FILTER',
+                b"""u32 pid = bpf_get_current_pid_tgid() >> 32;
                    if (pid != %d) { return 0; }""" % self.pid)
         else:
-            trace_count_text = trace_count_text.replace('FILTER', '')
+            trace_count_text = trace_count_text.replace(b'FILTER', b'')
 
         bpf_text += self._generate_functions(trace_count_text)
-        bpf_text = bpf_text.replace("NUMLOCATIONS",
-                                    str(len(self.trace_functions)))
+        bpf_text = bpf_text.replace(b"NUMLOCATIONS",
+                                    b"%d" % len(self.trace_functions))
         if debug:
             print(bpf_text)
 
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         parser.add_argument("-D", "--debug", action="store_true",
             help="print BPF program before starting (for debugging purposes)")
         parser.add_argument("pattern",
+            type=ArgString,
             help="search expression for events")
         self.args = parser.parse_args()
         global debug
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ def run(self):
         self.probe.load()
         self.probe.attach()
         print("Tracing %d functions for \"%s\"... Hit Ctrl-C to end." %
-              (self.probe.matched, self.args.pattern))
+              (self.probe.matched, bytes(self.args.pattern)))
         exiting = 0 if self.args.interval else 1
         seconds = 0
         while True:
diff --git a/tools/memleak.py b/tools/memleak.py
index e47a67f9da25..5d6953888320 100755
--- a/tools/memleak.py
+++ b/tools/memleak.py
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ def print_outstanding():
                          key=lambda a: a.size)[-top_stacks:]
         for alloc in to_show:
                 print("\t%d bytes in %d allocations from stack\n\t\t%s" %
-                      (alloc.size, alloc.count, "\n\t\t".join(alloc.stack)))
+                      (alloc.size, alloc.count, b"\n\t\t".join(alloc.stack)))
 
 def print_outstanding_combined():
         stack_traces = bpf["stack_traces"]
diff --git a/tools/slabratetop.py b/tools/slabratetop.py
index cdef6faf8828..64cecbb9c80b 100755
--- a/tools/slabratetop.py
+++ b/tools/slabratetop.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from bcc import BPF
+from bcc.utils import printb
 from time import sleep, strftime
 import argparse
 import signal
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ def signal_ignore(signal, frame):
     line = 0
     for k, v in reversed(sorted(counts.items(),
                                 key=lambda counts: counts[1].size)):
-        print("%-32s %6d %10d" % (k.name.decode(), v.count, v.size))
+        printb(b"%-32s %6d %10d" % (k.name, v.count, v.size))
 
         line += 1
         if line >= maxrows: