diff --git a/lib/py/images/images.py b/lib/py/images/images.py
index e4f9ca3d4d..0a9d36f08f 100644
--- a/lib/py/images/images.py
+++ b/lib/py/images/images.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 import struct
 import os
 import array
+import sys
 
 from . import magic
 from . import pb
@@ -284,9 +285,15 @@ def dump(self, entries, f):
                 size = len(pb_str)
                 f.write(struct.pack('i', size))
                 f.write(pb_str)
-                f.write(base64.decodebytes(str.encode(item['extra'])))
+                if (sys.version_info > (3, 0)):
+                    f.write(base64.decodebytes(str.encode(item['extra'])))
+                else:
+                    f.write(base64.decodebytes(item['extra']))
         else:
-            f.write(base64.decodebytes(str.encode(item['extra'])))
+            if (sys.version_info > (3, 0)):
+                f.write(base64.decodebytes(str.encode(item['extra'])))
+            else:
+                f.write(base64.decodebytes(item['extra']))
 
     def dumps(self, entries):
         f = io.BytesIO('')
diff --git a/lib/py/images/pb2dict.py b/lib/py/images/pb2dict.py
index 068d583dc8..cfaff6c7d0 100644
--- a/lib/py/images/pb2dict.py
+++ b/lib/py/images/pb2dict.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import os
 import quopri
 import socket
+import sys
 from ipaddress import IPv4Address, IPv6Address, ip_address
 
 from google.protobuf.descriptor import FieldDescriptor as FD
@@ -246,11 +247,17 @@ def encode_dev(field, value):
 
 
 def encode_base64(value):
-    return base64.encodebytes(value).decode()
+    if (sys.version_info > (3, 0)):
+        return base64.encodebytes(value).decode()
+    else:
+        return base64.encodebytes(value)
 
 
 def decode_base64(value):
-    return base64.decodebytes(str.encode(value))
+    if (sys.version_info > (3, 0)):
+        return base64.decodebytes(str.encode(value))
+    else:
+        return base64.decodebytes(value)
 
 
 def encode_unix(value):