diff --git a/ate/response.py b/ate/response.py
index 752d2348..dc0cb3f6 100644
--- a/ate/response.py
+++ b/ate/response.py
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 from ate import utils, exception
 
-try:
-    basestring  # Python 2.x
-except NameError:
-    basestring = str    # Python 3.x
 
 class ResponseObject(object):
 
@@ -40,7 +36,7 @@ class ResponseObject(object):
         extract_binds_dict = {}
 
         for key, value in extract_binds.items():
-            if not isinstance(value, basestring):
+            if not isinstance(value, utils.string_type):
                 raise exception.ParamsError("invalid extract_binds!")
 
             try:
diff --git a/ate/utils.py b/ate/utils.py
index e3a0b86e..0f5d5190 100644
--- a/ate/utils.py
+++ b/ate/utils.py
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ import yaml
 from ate.exception import ParamsError
 
 try:
-    assert bytes is str
+    string_type = basestring
     PYTHON_VERSION = 2
-except AssertionError:
+except NameError:
+    string_type = str
     PYTHON_VERSION = 3