diff --git a/hnv/client.py b/hnv/client.py
index c71d496..b57df91 100644
--- a/hnv/client.py
+++ b/hnv/client.py
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ class Resource(model.Model):
 
     def _load_models(self):
         models = globals().copy()
-        for _, model_cls in models.iteritems():
+        for _, model_cls in models.items():
             endpoint = getattr(model_cls, "_endpoint", None)
             if endpoint is not None:
                 regexp = endpoint.format(
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ class Resource(model.Model):
         """Return the associated resource."""
         references = {"resource_id": None, "parent_id": None,
                       "grandparent_id": None}
-        for model_cls, regexp in self._regexp.iteritems():
+        for model_cls, regexp in self._regexp.items():
             match = regexp.search(self.resource_ref)
             if match is not None:
                 references.update(match.groupdict())
diff --git a/hnv/common/utils.py b/hnv/common/utils.py
index ef23040..01d9ce5 100644
--- a/hnv/common/utils.py
+++ b/hnv/common/utils.py
@@ -208,3 +208,15 @@ def run_once(function, state={}, errors={}):
 def get_client(url, username, password, allow_insecure, ca_bundle):
     """Create a new client for the HNV REST API."""
     return _HNVClient(url, username, password, allow_insecure, ca_bundle)
+
+
+def get_as_string(value):
+    if value is None or isinstance(value, six.text_type):
+        return value
+    else:
+        try:
+            return value.decode()
+        except Exception:
+            # This is important, because None will be returned,
+            # but not that serious to raise an exception.
+            LOG.error("Couldn't decode: %r", value)
diff --git a/hnv/tests/fake/fake_response.py b/hnv/tests/fake/fake_response.py
index 37aba7f..4bd1780 100644
--- a/hnv/tests/fake/fake_response.py
+++ b/hnv/tests/fake/fake_response.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 import json
 import pkg_resources
 
+from hnv.common import utils
+
 
 class FakeResponse(object):
 
@@ -29,9 +31,10 @@ class FakeResponse(object):
     def _load_resource(self, resource):
         """Load the json response for the required resource."""
         if resource not in self._cache:
-            json_response = pkg_resources.resource_stream(
+            resource_stream = pkg_resources.resource_stream(
                 self._resources, resource)
-            self._cache[resource] = json.load(json_response)
+            json_response = utils.get_as_string(resource_stream.read())
+            self._cache[resource] = json.loads(json_response)
         return self._cache[resource]
 
     def logical_networks(self):