diff --git a/doc/changelog.txt b/doc/changelog.txt
index 815444d16..db99febf6 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.txt
+++ b/doc/changelog.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 Changes between 1.0.x and 'trunk'
 =====================================
 
+* introduce py.io.TextIO and py.io.BytesIO for distinguishing between
+  text/unicode and byte-streams (uses underlying standard lib io.* 
+  if available) 
+ 
 * simplified internal localpath implementation 
 
 Changes between 1.0.0 and 1.0.1
diff --git a/py/__init__.py b/py/__init__.py
index b8b84524b..57fbfed61 100644
--- a/py/__init__.py
+++ b/py/__init__.py
@@ -154,10 +154,12 @@ initpkg(__name__,
 
     # input-output helping 
     'io.__doc__'             : ('./io/__init__.py', '__doc__'),
-    'io.dupfile'             : ('./io/dupfile.py', 'dupfile'), 
-    'io.FDCapture'           : ('./io/fdcapture.py', 'FDCapture'), 
-    'io.StdCapture'          : ('./io/stdcapture.py', 'StdCapture'), 
-    'io.StdCaptureFD'        : ('./io/stdcapture.py', 'StdCaptureFD'), 
+    'io.dupfile'             : ('./io/capture.py', 'dupfile'), 
+    'io.TextIO'              : ('./io/capture.py', 'TextIO'), 
+    'io.BytesIO'             : ('./io/capture.py', 'BytesIO'), 
+    'io.FDCapture'           : ('./io/capture.py', 'FDCapture'), 
+    'io.StdCapture'          : ('./io/capture.py', 'StdCapture'), 
+    'io.StdCaptureFD'        : ('./io/capture.py', 'StdCaptureFD'), 
     'io.TerminalWriter'      : ('./io/terminalwriter.py', 'TerminalWriter'), 
 
     # error module, defining all errno's as Classes
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
index 4792354a0..137718996 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import py
 from py.__.execnet import gateway
 mypath = py.magic.autopath()
 
-from StringIO import StringIO
 from py.__.execnet.register import startup_modules, getsource 
 
 TESTTIMEOUT = 10.0 # seconds
@@ -43,9 +42,9 @@ def test_stdouterrin_setnull():
 class TestMessage:
     def test_wire_protocol(self):
         for cls in gateway.Message._types.values():
-            one = StringIO()
+            one = py.io.TextIO()
             cls(42, '23').writeto(one)
-            two = StringIO(one.getvalue())
+            two = py.io.TextIO(one.getvalue())
             msg = gateway.Message.readfrom(two)
             assert isinstance(msg, cls)
             assert msg.channelid == 42
@@ -317,7 +316,7 @@ class BasicRemoteExecution:
         assert str(err).find("ValueError") != -1
 
     def test_remote_redirect_stdout(self): 
-        out = py.std.StringIO.StringIO() 
+        out = py.io.TextIO() 
         handle = self.gw._remote_redirect(stdout=out) 
         c = self.gw.remote_exec("print 42")
         c.waitclose(TESTTIMEOUT)
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_pickle.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_pickle.py
index 63735871a..e21da762b 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_pickle.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_pickle.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-from StringIO import StringIO
+import py
 
 def pickletest(mod):
-    f1 = StringIO()
-    f2 = StringIO()
+    f1 = py.io.TextIO()
+    f2 = py.io.TextIO()
 
     pickler1 = mod.Pickler(f1)
     unpickler1 = mod.Unpickler(f2)
diff --git a/py/io/stdcapture.py b/py/io/capture.py
similarity index 70%
rename from py/io/stdcapture.py
rename to py/io/capture.py
index 776798df4..ce61ecd54 100644
--- a/py/io/stdcapture.py
+++ b/py/io/capture.py
@@ -1,8 +1,100 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import py
-try: from cStringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError: from StringIO import StringIO
+import tempfile
+
+try: 
+    from io import StringIO
+except ImportError: 
+    from StringIO import StringIO
+
+class TextIO(StringIO):
+    def write(self, data):
+        if not isinstance(data, unicode):
+            data = unicode(data, getattr(self, '_encoding', 'UTF-8'))
+        StringIO.write(self, data)
+
+try:
+    from io import BytesIO
+except ImportError:
+    class BytesIO(StringIO):
+        def write(self, data):
+            if isinstance(data, unicode):
+                raise TypeError("not a byte value: %r" %(data,))
+            StringIO.write(self, data)
+
+class FDCapture: 
+    """ Capture IO to/from a given os-level filedescriptor. """
+    
+    def __init__(self, targetfd, tmpfile=None): 
+        self.targetfd = targetfd
+        if tmpfile is None: 
+            tmpfile = self.maketmpfile()
+        self.tmpfile = tmpfile 
+        self._savefd = os.dup(targetfd)
+        os.dup2(self.tmpfile.fileno(), targetfd) 
+        self._patched = []
+
+    def setasfile(self, name, module=sys): 
+        """ patch <module>.<name> to self.tmpfile
+        """
+        key = (module, name)
+        self._patched.append((key, getattr(module, name)))
+        setattr(module, name, self.tmpfile) 
+
+    def unsetfiles(self): 
+        """ unpatch all patched items
+        """
+        while self._patched: 
+            (module, name), value = self._patched.pop()
+            setattr(module, name, value) 
+
+    def done(self): 
+        """ unpatch and clean up, returns the self.tmpfile (file object)
+        """
+        os.dup2(self._savefd, self.targetfd) 
+        self.unsetfiles() 
+        os.close(self._savefd) 
+        self.tmpfile.seek(0)
+        return self.tmpfile 
+
+    def maketmpfile(self): 
+        """ create a temporary file
+        """
+        f = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
+        newf = dupfile(f) 
+        f.close()
+        return newf 
+
+    def writeorg(self, str):
+        """ write a string to the original file descriptor
+        """
+        tempfp = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
+        try:
+            os.dup2(self._savefd, tempfp.fileno())
+            tempfp.write(str)
+        finally:
+            tempfp.close()
+
+
+def dupfile(f, mode=None, buffering=0, raising=False): 
+    """ return a new open file object that's a duplicate of f
+
+        mode is duplicated if not given, 'buffering' controls 
+        buffer size (defaulting to no buffering) and 'raising'
+        defines whether an exception is raised when an incompatible
+        file object is passed in (if raising is False, the file
+        object itself will be returned)
+    """
+    try: 
+        fd = f.fileno() 
+    except AttributeError: 
+        if raising: 
+            raise 
+        return f
+    newfd = os.dup(fd) 
+    mode = mode and mode or f.mode
+    return os.fdopen(newfd, mode, buffering) 
 
 
 class Capture(object):
@@ -141,14 +233,14 @@ class StdCapture(Capture):
         if out: 
             self._oldout = sys.stdout
             if not hasattr(out, 'write'):
-                out = StringIO()
+                out = TextIO()
             sys.stdout = self.out = out
         if err: 
             self._olderr = sys.stderr
             if out and mixed: 
                 err = self.out 
             elif not hasattr(err, 'write'):
-                err = StringIO()
+                err = TextIO()
             sys.stderr = self.err = err
         if in_:
             self._oldin  = sys.stdin
diff --git a/py/io/dupfile.py b/py/io/dupfile.py
deleted file mode 100644
index daaf26a57..000000000
--- a/py/io/dupfile.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-
-import os
-
-def dupfile(f, mode=None, buffering=0, raising=False): 
-    """ return a new open file object that's a duplicate of f
-
-        mode is duplicated if not given, 'buffering' controls 
-        buffer size (defaulting to no buffering) and 'raising'
-        defines whether an exception is raised when an incompatible
-        file object is passed in (if raising is False, the file
-        object itself will be returned)
-    """
-    try: 
-        fd = f.fileno() 
-    except AttributeError: 
-        if raising: 
-            raise 
-        return f
-    newfd = os.dup(fd) 
-    mode = mode and mode or f.mode
-    return os.fdopen(newfd, mode, buffering) 
-
diff --git a/py/io/fdcapture.py b/py/io/fdcapture.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 59c56266f..000000000
--- a/py/io/fdcapture.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-
-import os
-import sys
-import py
-import tempfile
-
-class FDCapture: 
-    """ Capture IO to/from a given os-level filedescriptor. """
-    
-    def __init__(self, targetfd, tmpfile=None): 
-        self.targetfd = targetfd
-        if tmpfile is None: 
-            tmpfile = self.maketmpfile()
-        self.tmpfile = tmpfile 
-        self._savefd = os.dup(targetfd)
-        os.dup2(self.tmpfile.fileno(), targetfd) 
-        self._patched = []
-
-    def setasfile(self, name, module=sys): 
-        """ patch <module>.<name> to self.tmpfile
-        """
-        key = (module, name)
-        self._patched.append((key, getattr(module, name)))
-        setattr(module, name, self.tmpfile) 
-
-    def unsetfiles(self): 
-        """ unpatch all patched items
-        """
-        while self._patched: 
-            (module, name), value = self._patched.pop()
-            setattr(module, name, value) 
-
-    def done(self): 
-        """ unpatch and clean up, returns the self.tmpfile (file object)
-        """
-        os.dup2(self._savefd, self.targetfd) 
-        self.unsetfiles() 
-        os.close(self._savefd) 
-        self.tmpfile.seek(0)
-        return self.tmpfile 
-
-    def maketmpfile(self): 
-        """ create a temporary file
-        """
-        f = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
-        newf = py.io.dupfile(f) 
-        f.close()
-        return newf 
-
-    def writeorg(self, str):
-        """ write a string to the original file descriptor
-        """
-        tempfp = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
-        try:
-            os.dup2(self._savefd, tempfp.fileno())
-            tempfp.write(str)
-        finally:
-            tempfp.close()
-
diff --git a/py/io/terminalwriter.py b/py/io/terminalwriter.py
index 1e20bc30c..77954c132 100644
--- a/py/io/terminalwriter.py
+++ b/py/io/terminalwriter.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ if sys.platform == 'win32':
 def get_terminal_width():
     try:
         height, width = _getdimensions()
-    except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt), e:
+    except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
         raise
     except:
         # FALLBACK
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class TerminalWriter(object):
     def __init__(self, file=None, stringio=False):
         if file is None:
             if stringio:
-                self.stringio = file = py.std.cStringIO.StringIO()
+                self.stringio = file = py.io.TextIO()
             else:
                 file = py.std.sys.stdout 
         elif callable(file):
diff --git a/py/io/testing/test_stdcapture.py b/py/io/testing/test_capture.py
similarity index 66%
rename from py/io/testing/test_stdcapture.py
rename to py/io/testing/test_capture.py
index 59627eb21..55558054e 100644
--- a/py/io/testing/test_stdcapture.py
+++ b/py/io/testing/test_capture.py
@@ -1,8 +1,31 @@
 import os, sys
 import py
 
+class TestTextIO:
+    def test_text(self):
+        f = py.io.TextIO()
+        f.write("hello") 
+        s = f.getvalue()
+        assert s == "hello"
+        f.close()
+
+    def test_unicode_and_str_mixture(self):
+        f = py.io.TextIO()
+        f.write(u"\u00f6")
+        f.write(str("hello")) 
+        s = f.getvalue()
+        f.close()
+        assert isinstance(s, unicode) 
+
+def test_bytes_io():
+    f = py.io.BytesIO()
+    f.write("hello") 
+    py.test.raises(TypeError, "f.write(u'hello')")
+    s = f.getvalue()
+    assert s == "hello"
+
 def test_dontreadfrominput():
-    from py.__.io.stdcapture import  DontReadFromInput
+    from py.__.io.capture import  DontReadFromInput
     f = DontReadFromInput()
     assert not f.isatty() 
     py.test.raises(IOError, f.read)
@@ -10,6 +33,81 @@ def test_dontreadfrominput():
     py.test.raises(IOError, iter, f) 
     py.test.raises(ValueError, f.fileno)
 
+def test_dupfile(): 
+    somefile = py.std.os.tmpfile() 
+    flist = []
+    for i in range(5): 
+        nf = py.io.dupfile(somefile)
+        assert nf != somefile
+        assert nf.fileno() != somefile.fileno()
+        assert nf not in flist 
+        print >>nf, i,
+        flist.append(nf) 
+    for i in range(5): 
+        f = flist[i]
+        f.close()
+    somefile.seek(0)
+    s = somefile.read()
+    assert s.startswith("01234")
+    somefile.close()
+
+class TestFDCapture: 
+    def test_basic(self): 
+        tmpfile = py.std.os.tmpfile() 
+        fd = tmpfile.fileno()
+        cap = py.io.FDCapture(fd)
+        os.write(fd, "hello")
+        f = cap.done()
+        s = f.read()
+        assert s == "hello"
+
+    def test_stderr(self): 
+        cap = py.io.FDCapture(2)
+        cap.setasfile('stderr')
+        print >>sys.stderr, "hello"
+        f = cap.done()
+        s = f.read()
+        assert s == "hello\n"
+
+    def test_stdin(self): 
+        f = os.tmpfile()
+        print >>f, "3"
+        f.seek(0)
+        cap = py.io.FDCapture(0, tmpfile=f)
+        # check with os.read() directly instead of raw_input(), because
+        # sys.stdin itself may be redirected (as py.test now does by default)
+        x = os.read(0, 100).strip()
+        f = cap.done()
+        assert x == "3"
+
+    def test_writeorg(self):
+        tmppath = py.test.ensuretemp('test_writeorg').ensure('stderr',
+                                                             file=True)
+        tmpfp = tmppath.open('w+b')
+        try:
+            cap = py.io.FDCapture(tmpfp.fileno())
+            print >>tmpfp, 'foo'
+            cap.writeorg('bar\n')
+        finally:
+            tmpfp.close()
+        f = cap.done()
+        scap = f.read()
+        assert scap == 'foo\n'
+        stmp = tmppath.read()
+        assert stmp == "bar\n"
+
+    def test_writeorg_wrongtype(self):
+        tmppath = py.test.ensuretemp('test_writeorg').ensure('stdout',
+                                                             file=True)
+        tmpfp = tmppath.open('r')
+        try:
+            cap = py.io.FDCapture(tmpfp.fileno())
+            py.test.raises(IOError, "cap.writeorg('bar\\n')")
+        finally:
+            tmpfp.close()
+        f = cap.done()
+
+
 class TestStdCapture: 
     def getcapture(self, **kw):
         return py.io.StdCapture(**kw)
@@ -64,8 +162,8 @@ class TestStdCapture:
         cap = self.getcapture()
         print "hello",
         print >>sys.stderr, "world",
-        sys.stdout = py.std.StringIO.StringIO() 
-        sys.stderr = py.std.StringIO.StringIO() 
+        sys.stdout = py.io.TextIO() 
+        sys.stderr = py.io.TextIO() 
         print "not seen" 
         print >>sys.stderr, "not seen"
         out, err = cap.reset()
diff --git a/py/io/testing/test_dupfile.py b/py/io/testing/test_dupfile.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 14a2ee1d0..000000000
--- a/py/io/testing/test_dupfile.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-
-import py
-
-def test_dupfile(): 
-    somefile = py.std.os.tmpfile() 
-    flist = []
-    for i in range(5): 
-        nf = py.io.dupfile(somefile)
-        assert nf != somefile
-        assert nf.fileno() != somefile.fileno()
-        assert nf not in flist 
-        print >>nf, i,
-        flist.append(nf) 
-    for i in range(5): 
-        f = flist[i]
-        f.close()
-    somefile.seek(0)
-    s = somefile.read()
-    assert s.startswith("01234")
-    somefile.close()
diff --git a/py/io/testing/test_fdcapture.py b/py/io/testing/test_fdcapture.py
deleted file mode 100644
index eee7a1579..000000000
--- a/py/io/testing/test_fdcapture.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-import os, sys
-import py
-
-class TestFDCapture: 
-    def test_basic(self): 
-        tmpfile = py.std.os.tmpfile() 
-        fd = tmpfile.fileno()
-        cap = py.io.FDCapture(fd)
-        os.write(fd, "hello")
-        f = cap.done()
-        s = f.read()
-        assert s == "hello"
-
-    def test_stderr(self): 
-        cap = py.io.FDCapture(2)
-        cap.setasfile('stderr')
-        print >>sys.stderr, "hello"
-        f = cap.done()
-        s = f.read()
-        assert s == "hello\n"
-
-    def test_stdin(self): 
-        f = os.tmpfile()
-        print >>f, "3"
-        f.seek(0)
-        cap = py.io.FDCapture(0, tmpfile=f)
-        # check with os.read() directly instead of raw_input(), because
-        # sys.stdin itself may be redirected (as py.test now does by default)
-        x = os.read(0, 100).strip()
-        f = cap.done()
-        assert x == "3"
-
-    def test_writeorg(self):
-        tmppath = py.test.ensuretemp('test_writeorg').ensure('stderr',
-                                                             file=True)
-        tmpfp = tmppath.open('w+b')
-        try:
-            cap = py.io.FDCapture(tmpfp.fileno())
-            print >>tmpfp, 'foo'
-            cap.writeorg('bar\n')
-        finally:
-            tmpfp.close()
-        f = cap.done()
-        scap = f.read()
-        assert scap == 'foo\n'
-        stmp = tmppath.read()
-        assert stmp == "bar\n"
-
-    def test_writeorg_wrongtype(self):
-        tmppath = py.test.ensuretemp('test_writeorg').ensure('stdout',
-                                                             file=True)
-        tmpfp = tmppath.open('r')
-        try:
-            cap = py.io.FDCapture(tmpfp.fileno())
-            py.test.raises(IOError, "cap.writeorg('bar\\n')")
-        finally:
-            tmpfp.close()
-        f = cap.done()
-
diff --git a/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py b/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
index 2eefd35f3..80c0942df 100644
--- a/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
+++ b/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import py
 import os, sys
 from py.__.io import terminalwriter 
-import StringIO
 
 def skip_win32():
     if sys.platform == 'win32':
@@ -23,12 +22,23 @@ def test_terminalwriter_default_instantiation():
 
 def test_terminalwriter_dumb_term_no_markup(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(os, 'environ', {'TERM': 'dumb', 'PATH': ''})
-    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, 'stdout', StringIO.StringIO())
-    monkeypatch.setattr(sys.stdout, 'isatty', lambda:True)
+    class MyFile:
+        def isatty(self):
+            return True
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, 'stdout', MyFile())
     assert sys.stdout.isatty()
     tw = py.io.TerminalWriter()
     assert not tw.hasmarkup
 
+def test_unicode_encoding():
+    l = []
+    msg = unicode('b\u00f6y', 'utf8')
+    for encoding in 'utf8', 'latin1':
+        tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(l.append)
+        tw._encoding = encoding
+        tw.line(msg)
+        assert l[0] == msg.encode(encoding)
+
 class BaseTests:
     def test_line(self):    
         tw = self.getwriter()
@@ -44,8 +54,7 @@ class BaseTests:
             msg = unicode('b\u00f6y', 'utf8')
             tw.line(msg)
             l = self.getlines()
-            assert not isinstance(l[0], unicode) 
-            assert unicode(l[0], encoding) == msg + "\n"
+            assert l[0] == msg + "\n"
 
     def test_sep_no_title(self):
         tw = self.getwriter()
@@ -105,7 +114,7 @@ class TestTmpfile(BaseTests):
         io.flush()
         return self.path.open('r').readlines()
 
-class TestStringIO(BaseTests):
+class TestWithStringIO(BaseTests):
     def getwriter(self):
         self.tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(stringio=True)
         return self.tw
@@ -120,7 +129,7 @@ class TestCallableFile(BaseTests):
         return py.io.TerminalWriter(self.writes.append)
 
     def getlines(self):
-        io = py.std.cStringIO.StringIO()
+        io = py.io.TextIO()
         io.write("".join(self.writes))
         io.seek(0)
         return io.readlines()
diff --git a/py/misc/testing/test_initpkg.py b/py/misc/testing/test_initpkg.py
index 6f9d647c3..5da9e6c29 100644
--- a/py/misc/testing/test_initpkg.py
+++ b/py/misc/testing/test_initpkg.py
@@ -170,61 +170,6 @@ class TestRealModule:
         import realtest.x.module
         assert realtest.x.module.__doc__ == 'test module'
 
-#class TestStdHook:
-#    """Tests imports for the standard Python library hook."""
-#
-#    def setup_method(self, *args):
-#        """Unload the test modules before each test."""
-#        module_names = ['py.std.StringIO', 'py.std', 'py']
-#        for modname in module_names:
-#            if modname in sys.modules:
-#                del sys.modules[modname]
-#
-#    def test_std_import_simple(self):
-#        import py
-#        StringIO = py.std.StringIO
-#        assert 'py' in sys.modules
-#        assert 'py.std' in sys.modules
-#        assert 'py.std.StringIO' in sys.modules
-#        assert hasattr(py.std.StringIO, 'StringIO')
-#
-#    def test_std_import0(self):
-#        """Testing 'import py.std.StringIO'."""
-#        import py.std.StringIO
-#        assert 'py' in sys.modules
-#        assert 'py.std' in sys.modules
-#        assert 'py.std.StringIO' in sys.modules
-#        assert hasattr(py.std.StringIO, 'StringIO')
-#
-#    def test_std_import1(self):
-#        """Testing 'from py import std'."""
-#        from py import std
-#        assert 'py' in sys.modules
-#        assert 'py.std' in sys.modules
-#
-#    def test_std_from(self):
-#        """Testing 'from py.std import StringIO'."""
-#        from py.std import StringIO
-#        assert getattr(StringIO, 'StringIO')
-#
-#    def test_std_star(self):
-#        "Test from py.std.string import *"
-#        """Testing 'from test.module import *'."""
-#        tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp('test_initpkg')
-#        tfile = tmpdir.join('stdstartest.py')
-#        tfile.write(py.code.Source("""if True:
-#            from realtest.module import *
-#            globals()['mytest0']
-#            globals()['mytest1']
-#            globals()['MyTest']
-#        """))
-#        import stdstartest  # an exception will be raise if an error occurs
-
-##def test_help():
-#    help(std.path)
-#    #assert False
-
-
 def test_autoimport():
     from py.initpkg import autoimport
     py.std.os.environ['AUTOTEST_AUTOIMPORT'] = "nonexistmodule"
diff --git a/py/path/testing/test_svnauth.py b/py/path/testing/test_svnauth.py
index ea1b633f3..c2ea1d933 100644
--- a/py/path/testing/test_svnauth.py
+++ b/py/path/testing/test_svnauth.py
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class TestSvnURLAuth(object):
 
     def test_log(self):
         u = svnurl_no_svn('http://foo.bar/svn/foo', auth=self.auth)
-        u.popen_output = py.std.StringIO.StringIO('''\
+        u.popen_output = py.io.TextIO('''\
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <log>
 <logentry revision="51381">
diff --git a/py/test/dist/mypickle.py b/py/test/dist/mypickle.py
index 75b60444e..532cfb259 100644
--- a/py/test/dist/mypickle.py
+++ b/py/test/dist/mypickle.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 
 """
 
-from cStringIO import StringIO
 from pickle import Pickler, Unpickler
 import py
 from py.__.execnet.channel import Channel
@@ -58,14 +57,14 @@ class ImmutablePickler:
         # this is for feeding objects to ourselfes
         # which be the case e.g. if you want to pickle 
         # from a forked process back to the original 
-        f = StringIO()
+        f = py.io.BytesIO()
         pickler = MyPickler(f, self._protocol, uneven=self.uneven)
         pickler.memo = self._picklememo
         pickler.memoize(obj)
         self._updateunpicklememo()
 
     def dumps(self, obj):
-        f = StringIO()
+        f = py.io.BytesIO()
         pickler = MyPickler(f, self._protocol, uneven=self.uneven)
         pickler.memo = self._picklememo
         pickler.dump(obj)
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ class ImmutablePickler:
         return f.getvalue()
 
     def loads(self, string):
-        f = StringIO(string)
+        f = py.io.BytesIO(string)
         unpickler = Unpickler(f)
         unpickler.memo = self._unpicklememo
         res = unpickler.load()
diff --git a/py/test/dist/testing/test_mypickle.py b/py/test/dist/testing/test_mypickle.py
index 0455b7255..dee220a7c 100644
--- a/py/test/dist/testing/test_mypickle.py
+++ b/py/test/dist/testing/test_mypickle.py
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ class TestPickleChannelFunctional:
         cls.gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
         cls.gw.remote_init_threads(5)
 
-    def teardown_class(cls):
-        cls.gw.exit()
-
     def test_popen_send_instance(self):
         channel = self.gw.remote_exec("""
             from py.__.test.dist.mypickle import PickleChannel
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
index 2b985556e..e19de17ef 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ on tests that wait on reading something from stdin.
 You can influence output capturing mechanisms from the command line::
 
     py.test -s            # disable all capturing
-    py.test --capture=sys # set StringIO() to each of sys.stdout/stderr 
-    py.test --capture=fd  # capture stdout/stderr on Filedescriptors 1/2 
+    py.test --capture=sys # replace sys.stdout/stderr with in-mem files
+    py.test --capture=fd  # point filedescriptors 1 and 2 to temp file
 
 If you set capturing values in a conftest file like this::
 
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ sys-level capturing
 ------------------------------------------
 
 Capturing on 'sys' level means that ``sys.stdout`` and ``sys.stderr`` 
-will be replaced with StringIO() objects.   
+will be replaced with in-memory files (``py.io.TextIO`` to be precise)  
+that capture writes and decode non-unicode strings to a unicode object
+(using a default, usually, UTF-8, encoding). 
 
 FD-level capturing and subprocesses
 ------------------------------------------
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ class CaptureManager:
         return EncodedFile(newf, encoding)
 
     def _makestringio(self):
-        return py.std.StringIO.StringIO() 
+        return EncodedFile(py.io.TextIO(), 'UTF-8')
 
     def _startcapture(self, method):
         if method == "fd": 
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
index 55d5e315c..9c1fb418b 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_pytester.py
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ def test_reportrecorder(testdir):
 
 class LineComp:
     def __init__(self):
-        self.stringio = py.std.StringIO.StringIO()
+        self.stringio = py.io.TextIO()
 
     def assert_contains_lines(self, lines2):
         """ assert that lines2 are contained (linearly) in lines1. 
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_resultlog.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_resultlog.py
index be71104a3..28274e44c 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_resultlog.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_resultlog.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class ResultLog(object):
 #
 # ===============================================================================
 
-import os, StringIO
+import os
 
 def test_generic_path():
     from py.__.test.collect import Node, Item, FSCollector
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def test_generic_path():
 
 def test_write_log_entry():
     reslog = ResultLog(None)
-    reslog.logfile = StringIO.StringIO()
+    reslog.logfile = py.io.TextIO()
     reslog.write_log_entry('name', '.', '')  
     entry = reslog.logfile.getvalue()
     assert entry[-1] == '\n'        
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def test_write_log_entry():
     assert len(entry_lines) == 1
     assert entry_lines[0] == '. name'
 
-    reslog.logfile = StringIO.StringIO()
+    reslog.logfile = py.io.TextIO()
     reslog.write_log_entry('name', 's', 'Skipped')  
     entry = reslog.logfile.getvalue()
     assert entry[-1] == '\n'        
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def test_write_log_entry():
     assert entry_lines[0] == 's name'
     assert entry_lines[1] == ' Skipped'
 
-    reslog.logfile = StringIO.StringIO()
+    reslog.logfile = py.io.TextIO()
     reslog.write_log_entry('name', 's', 'Skipped\n')  
     entry = reslog.logfile.getvalue()
     assert entry[-1] == '\n'        
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def test_write_log_entry():
     assert entry_lines[0] == 's name'
     assert entry_lines[1] == ' Skipped'
 
-    reslog.logfile = StringIO.StringIO()
+    reslog.logfile = py.io.TextIO()
     longrepr = ' tb1\n tb 2\nE tb3\nSome Error'
     reslog.write_log_entry('name', 'F', longrepr)
     entry = reslog.logfile.getvalue()
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class TestWithFunctionIntegration:
             raise ValueError
         except ValueError:
             excinfo = py.code.ExceptionInfo()
-        reslog = ResultLog(StringIO.StringIO())        
+        reslog = ResultLog(py.io.TextIO())        
         reslog.pytest_internalerror(excinfo.getrepr())
         entry = reslog.logfile.getvalue()
         entry_lines = entry.splitlines()
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
index 4e07750ae..d16bbe980 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def test_capturing_unicode(testdir, method):
 def test_capturing_bytes_in_utf8_encoding(testdir, method):
     testdir.makepyfile("""
         def test_unicode():
-            print '\\xe2'
+            print 'b\\u00f6y'
     """)
     result = testdir.runpytest("--capture=%s" % method)
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ class TestLoggingInteraction:
         p = testdir.makepyfile("""
             def test_logging():
                 import logging
-                import StringIO
-                stream = StringIO.StringIO()
+                import py
+                stream = py.io.TextIO()
                 logging.basicConfig(stream=stream)
                 stream.close() # to free memory/release resources
         """)
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
index 97683babc..f80c10965 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class TestTerminal:
 
     def test_writeline(self, testdir, linecomp):
         modcol = testdir.getmodulecol("def test_one(): pass")
-        stringio = py.std.cStringIO.StringIO()
+        stringio = py.io.TextIO()
         rep = TerminalReporter(modcol.config, file=linecomp.stringio)
         rep.write_fspath_result(py.path.local("xy.py"), '.')
         rep.write_line("hello world")
diff --git a/py/test/pluginmanager.py b/py/test/pluginmanager.py
index 7a5ac305d..a4c577f51 100644
--- a/py/test/pluginmanager.py
+++ b/py/test/pluginmanager.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class PluginManager(object):
         # =====================================================
         methods = collectattr(plugin)
         hooks = collectattr(hookspec)
-        stringio = py.std.StringIO.StringIO()
+        stringio = py.io.TextIO()
         def Print(*args):
             if args:
                 stringio.write(" ".join(map(str, args)))
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_pickling.py b/py/test/testing/test_pickling.py
index 3c11a61dc..b0cedc02b 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_pickling.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_pickling.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class TestConfigPickling:
         testdir.makepyfile(hello="def test_x(): pass")
         config = testdir.parseconfig(tmpdir)
         col = config.getfsnode(config.topdir)
-        io = py.std.cStringIO.StringIO()
+        io = py.io.TextIO()
         pickler = Pickler(io)
         pickler.dump(col)
         io.seek(0) 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ class TestConfigPickling:
         col = config.getfsnode(config.topdir)
         col1 = col.join(dir1.basename)
         assert col1.parent is col 
-        io = py.std.cStringIO.StringIO()
+        io = py.io.TextIO()
         pickler = Pickler(io)
         pickler.dump(col)
         pickler.dump(col1)