diff --git a/mayan/apps/ocr/parsers/__init__.py b/mayan/apps/ocr/parsers/__init__.py
index 5e321bfb6c..0f0673f4d2 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/ocr/parsers/__init__.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/ocr/parsers/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import logging
 import os
 import slate
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ class SlateParser(Parser):
         pdf_pages = slate.PDF(descriptor)
         descriptor.close()
 
-        if pdf_pages[document_page.page_number - 1] == '\x0c':
+        if pdf_pages[document_page.page_number - 1] == b'\x0c':
             raise ParserError
 
         document_page.content = pdf_pages[document_page.page_number - 1]
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ class PopplerParser(Parser):
             raise ParserError
 
         output = proc.stdout.read()
-        if output == '\x0c':
+        if output == b'\x0c':
             logger.debug('Parser didn\'t any output')
             raise ParserError('No output')