diff --git a/beets/autotag/hooks.py b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
index f9388ad83..e0f543870 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/hooks.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ class LazyClassProperty(object):
 
 
 @total_ordering
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class Distance(object):
     """Keeps track of multiple distance penalties. Provides a single
     weighted distance for all penalties as well as a weighted distance
@@ -378,7 +379,9 @@ class Distance(object):
     def __rsub__(self, other):
         return other - self.distance
 
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    # Behave like a string
+
+    def __str__(self):
         return "{0:.2f}".format(self.distance)
 
     # Behave like a dict.
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 7821f93f4..2c5ff47b5 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ PF_KEY_DEFAULT = 'default'
 
 
 # Exceptions.
-
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class FileOperationError(Exception):
     """Indicates an error when interacting with a file on disk.
     Possibilities include an unsupported media type, a permissions
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class FileOperationError(Exception):
         self.path = path
         self.reason = reason
 
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    def text(self):
         """Get a string representing the error. Describes both the
         underlying reason and the file path in question.
         """
@@ -287,26 +287,30 @@ class FileOperationError(Exception):
             six.text_type(self.reason)
         )
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        return six.text_type(self).encode('utf8')
+    # define __str__ as text to avoid infinite loop on super() calls
+    # with @six.python_2_unicode_compatible
+    __str__ = text
 
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class ReadError(FileOperationError):
     """An error while reading a file (i.e. in `Item.read`).
     """
-    def __unicode__(self):
-        return u'error reading ' + super(ReadError, self).__unicode__()
+    def __str__(self):
+        return u'error reading ' + super(ReadError, self).text()
 
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class WriteError(FileOperationError):
     """An error while writing a file (i.e. in `Item.write`).
     """
-    def __unicode__(self):
-        return u'error writing ' + super(WriteError, self).__unicode__()
+    def __str__(self):
+        return u'error writing ' + super(WriteError, self).text()
 
 
 # Item and Album model classes.
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class LibModel(dbcore.Model):
     """Shared concrete functionality for Items and Albums.
     """
@@ -343,9 +347,6 @@ class LibModel(dbcore.Model):
             return result
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return format(self).encode('utf8')
-
-    def __unicode__(self):
         return format(self)
 
 
diff --git a/beetsplug/beatport.py b/beetsplug/beatport.py
index 530bf5184..5949589c3 100644
--- a/beetsplug/beatport.py
+++ b/beetsplug/beatport.py
@@ -197,8 +197,9 @@ class BeatportClient(object):
         return response.json()['results']
 
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class BeatportRelease(BeatportObject):
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    def __str__(self):
         if len(self.artists) < 4:
             artist_str = ", ".join(x[1] for x in self.artists)
         else:
@@ -225,8 +226,9 @@ class BeatportRelease(BeatportObject):
                 data['slug'], data['id'])
 
 
+@six.python_2_unicode_compatible
 class BeatportTrack(BeatportObject):
-    def __unicode__(self):
+    def __str__(self):
         artist_str = ", ".join(x[1] for x in self.artists)
         return (u"<BeatportTrack: {0} - {1} ({2})>"
                 .format(artist_str, self.name, self.mix_name))