diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/base.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/base.py
index f9455c783a1..36c03eb51e8 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/base.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from ctypes import c_void_p
-from types import NoneType
+
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal.error import GDALException
 
 class GDALBase(object):
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class GDALBase(object):
         # compatible type or None (NULL).
         if isinstance(ptr, (int, long)):
             self._ptr = self.ptr_type(ptr)
-        elif isinstance(ptr, (self.ptr_type, NoneType)):
+        elif ptr is None or isinstance(ptr, self.ptr_type):
             self._ptr = ptr
         else:
             raise TypeError('Incompatible pointer type')
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/geos/base.py b/django/contrib/gis/geos/base.py
index b3012dd9302..754bcce7ad6 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/geos/base.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/geos/base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from ctypes import c_void_p
-from types import NoneType
+
 from django.contrib.gis.geos.error import GEOSException
 
 # Trying to import GDAL libraries, if available.  Have to place in
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class GEOSBase(object):
     def _set_ptr(self, ptr):
         # Only allow the pointer to be set with pointers of the
         # compatible type or None (NULL).
-        if isinstance(ptr, (self.ptr_type, NoneType)):
+        if ptr is None or isinstance(ptr, self.ptr_type):
             self._ptr = ptr
         else:
             raise TypeError('Incompatible pointer type')
diff --git a/django/utils/encoding.py b/django/utils/encoding.py
index 9d9b8b8a2d3..6b246ac59bb 100644
--- a/django/utils/encoding.py
+++ b/django/utils/encoding.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import types
 import urllib
 import locale
 import datetime
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ def is_protected_type(obj):
     force_unicode(strings_only=True).
     """
     return isinstance(obj, (
-        types.NoneType,
+        type(None),
         int, long,
         datetime.datetime, datetime.date, datetime.time,
         float, Decimal)
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ def smart_str(s, encoding='utf-8', strings_only=False, errors='strict'):
 
     If strings_only is True, don't convert (some) non-string-like objects.
     """
-    if strings_only and isinstance(s, (types.NoneType, int)):
+    if strings_only and (s is None or isinstance(s, int)):
         return s
     if isinstance(s, Promise):
         return unicode(s).encode(encoding, errors)