diff --git a/paramiko/ber.py b/paramiko/ber.py
index 19568dd..4aa788d 100644
--- a/paramiko/ber.py
+++ b/paramiko/ber.py
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 # along with Paramiko; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 # 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA.
 
-
-import util
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from paramiko import util
 
 
 class BERException (Exception):
diff --git a/paramiko/file.py b/paramiko/file.py
index 7e2904e..9782218 100644
--- a/paramiko/file.py
+++ b/paramiko/file.py
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@
 BufferedFile.
 """
 
-from cStringIO import StringIO
+try:
+    from cStringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
 
 
 class BufferedFile (object):
diff --git a/paramiko/message.py b/paramiko/message.py
index fb9e565..e492cd7 100644
--- a/paramiko/message.py
+++ b/paramiko/message.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ Implementation of an SSH2 "message".
 """
 
 import struct
-import cStringIO
+try:
+    from cStringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
 
 from paramiko import util
 
@@ -46,9 +49,9 @@ class Message (object):
         @type content: string
         """
         if content != None:
-            self.packet = cStringIO.StringIO(content)
+            self.packet = StringIO(content)
         else:
-            self.packet = cStringIO.StringIO()
+            self.packet = StringIO()
 
     def __str__(self):
         """
diff --git a/paramiko/packet.py b/paramiko/packet.py
index df443bb..e755782 100644
--- a/paramiko/packet.py
+++ b/paramiko/packet.py
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ class Packetizer (object):
         if self.__block_engine_in != None:
             header = self.__block_engine_in.decrypt(header)
         if self.__dump_packets:
-            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(header, 'IN: '));
+            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(header, 'IN: '))
         packet_size = struct.unpack('>I', header[:4])[0]
         # leftover contains decrypted bytes from the first block (after the length field)
         leftover = header[4:]
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class Packetizer (object):
         if self.__block_engine_in != None:
             packet = self.__block_engine_in.decrypt(packet)
         if self.__dump_packets:
-            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(packet, 'IN: '));
+            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(packet, 'IN: '))
         packet = leftover + packet
 
         if self.__mac_size_in > 0:
diff --git a/paramiko/sftp.py b/paramiko/sftp.py
index a0b08e0..329f077 100644
--- a/paramiko/sftp.py
+++ b/paramiko/sftp.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class BaseSFTP (object):
         size = struct.unpack('>I', x)[0]
         data = self._read_all(size)
         if self.ultra_debug:
-            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(data, 'IN: '));
+            self._log(DEBUG, util.format_binary(data, 'IN: '))
         if size > 0:
             t = ord(data[0])
             #self._log(DEBUG2, 'read: %s (len=%d)' % (CMD_NAMES.get(t), '0x%02x' % t, len(data)-1))
diff --git a/paramiko/transport.py b/paramiko/transport.py
index ca35d53..94f38e6 100644
--- a/paramiko/transport.py
+++ b/paramiko/transport.py
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ class Transport (threading.Thread):
             self.lock.release()
         self._send_user_message(m)
         while True:
-            event.wait(0.1);
+            event.wait(0.1)
             if not self.active:
                 e = self.get_exception()
                 if e is None:
diff --git a/tests/test_pkey.py b/tests/test_pkey.py
index 89d5580..deb6d7c 100644
--- a/tests/test_pkey.py
+++ b/tests/test_pkey.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ Some unit tests for public/private key objects.
 """
 
 from binascii import hexlify, unhexlify
-import StringIO
+try:
+    from StringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
 import unittest
 from paramiko import RSAKey, DSSKey, Message, util
 from paramiko.common import rng
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@ class KeyTest (unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(PUB_RSA.split()[1], key.get_base64())
         self.assertEquals(1024, key.get_bits())
 
-        s = StringIO.StringIO()
+        s = StringIO()
         key.write_private_key(s)
         self.assertEquals(RSA_PRIVATE_OUT, s.getvalue()) 
         s.seek(0)
@@ -115,7 +118,7 @@ class KeyTest (unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(PUB_DSS.split()[1], key.get_base64())
         self.assertEquals(1024, key.get_bits())
 
-        s = StringIO.StringIO()
+        s = StringIO()
         key.write_private_key(s)
         self.assertEquals(DSS_PRIVATE_OUT, s.getvalue())
         s.seek(0)
diff --git a/tests/test_sftp.py b/tests/test_sftp.py
index 459d17c..40e0f0d 100755
--- a/tests/test_sftp.py
+++ b/tests/test_sftp.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ a real actual sftp server is contacted, and a new folder is created there to
 do test file operations in (so no existing files will be harmed).
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import with_statement
 
 from binascii import hexlify
@@ -31,7 +32,10 @@ import warnings
 import sys
 import threading
 import unittest
-import StringIO
+try:
+    from StringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
 
 import paramiko
 from stub_sftp import StubServer, StubSFTPServer
@@ -731,7 +735,7 @@ class SFTPTest (unittest.TestCase):
         Send an empty file and confirm it is sent.
         """
         target = FOLDER + '/empty file.txt'
-        stream = StringIO.StringIO()
+        stream = StringIO()
         try:
             attrs = sftp.putfo(stream, target)
             # the returned attributes should not be null
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index efda9b2..f263696 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ Some unit tests for utility functions.
 """
 
 from binascii import hexlify
-import cStringIO
+try:
+    from cStringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
 import errno
 import os
 import unittest
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ class UtilTest(ParamikoTest):
 
     def test_2_parse_config(self):
         global test_config_file
-        f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+        f = StringIO(test_config_file)
         config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
         self.assertEquals(config._config,
             [{'host': ['*'], 'config': {}}, {'host': ['*'], 'config': {'identityfile': ['~/.ssh/id_rsa'], 'user': 'robey'}},
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ class UtilTest(ParamikoTest):
 
     def test_3_host_config(self):
         global test_config_file
-        f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+        f = StringIO(test_config_file)
         config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
 
         for host, values in {
@@ -172,7 +175,7 @@ Host *.example.com
 Host *
     Port 3333
     """
-        f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+        f = StringIO(test_config_file)
         config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
         host = 'www13.example.com'
         self.assertEquals(
@@ -216,7 +219,7 @@ Host space-delimited
 Host equals-delimited
     ProxyCommand=foo bar=biz baz
 """
-        f = cStringIO.StringIO(conf)
+        f = StringIO(conf)
         config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
         for host in ('space-delimited', 'equals-delimited'):
             self.assertEquals(
@@ -228,7 +231,7 @@ Host equals-delimited
         """
         ProxyCommand should perform interpolation on the value
         """
-        config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(cStringIO.StringIO("""
+        config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(StringIO("""
 Host specific
     Port 37
     ProxyCommand host %h port %p lol
@@ -264,7 +267,7 @@ Host www13.*
 Host *
     Port 3333
     """
-        f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+        f = StringIO(test_config_file)
         config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
         host = 'www13.example.com'
         self.assertEquals(
@@ -293,7 +296,7 @@ ProxyCommand foo=bar:%h-%p
                                                      'foo=bar:proxy-without-equal-divisor-22'}
         }.items():
 
-            f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+            f = StringIO(test_config_file)
             config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
             self.assertEquals(
                 paramiko.util.lookup_ssh_host_config(host, config),
@@ -323,7 +326,7 @@ IdentityFile id_dsa22
                       'identityfile': ['id_dsa0', 'id_dsa1', 'id_dsa22']}
         }.items():
 
-            f = cStringIO.StringIO(test_config_file)
+            f = StringIO(test_config_file)
             config = paramiko.util.parse_ssh_config(f)
             self.assertEquals(
                 paramiko.util.lookup_ssh_host_config(host, config),