diff --git a/_pytest/monkeypatch.py b/_pytest/monkeypatch.py
index 0444a5404..be131bd93 100644
--- a/_pytest/monkeypatch.py
+++ b/_pytest/monkeypatch.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def pytest_funcarg__monkeypatch(request):
 
 def derive_importpath(import_path):
     import pytest
-    if not isinstance(import_path, basestring) or "." not in import_path:
+    if not isinstance(import_path, _basestring) or "." not in import_path:
         raise TypeError("must be absolute import path string, not %r" %
                         (import_path,))
     rest = []
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class monkeypatch:
         """
         __tracebackhide__ = True
         if name is notset:
-            if not isinstance(target, basestring):
+            if not isinstance(target, _basestring):
                 raise TypeError("use delattr(target, name) or "
                                 "delattr(target) with target being a dotted "
                                 "import string")
diff --git a/testing/test_junitxml.py b/testing/test_junitxml.py
index 3f1e5b7be..01e38b88c 100644
--- a/testing/test_junitxml.py
+++ b/testing/test_junitxml.py
@@ -465,8 +465,9 @@ def test_escaped_parametrized_names_xml(testdir):
 def test_unicode_issue368(testdir):
     path = testdir.tmpdir.join("test.xml")
     log = LogXML(str(path), None)
+    ustr = py.builtin._totext("ВНИ!", "utf-8")
     class report:
-        longrepr = u"ВНИМАНИЕ!"
+        longrepr = ustr
         sections = []
         nodeid = "something"
 
@@ -477,9 +478,9 @@ def test_unicode_issue368(testdir):
     log.append_collect_failure(report)
     log.append_collect_skipped(report)
     log.append_error(report)
-    report.longrepr = "filename", 1, u"ВНИМАНИЕ!"
+    report.longrepr = "filename", 1, ustr
     log.append_skipped(report)
-    report.wasxfail = u"ВНИМАНИЕ!"
+    report.wasxfail = ustr
     log.append_skipped(report)
     log.pytest_sessionfinish()