diff --git a/paunch/runner.py b/paunch/runner.py
index 0cdca29..dc15e9e 100644
--- a/paunch/runner.py
+++ b/paunch/runner.py
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ class DockerRunner(object):
         cmd_stdout, cmd_stderr = subproc.communicate()
         LOG.debug(cmd_stdout)
         LOG.debug(cmd_stderr)
-        return cmd_stdout, cmd_stderr, subproc.returncode
+        return (cmd_stdout.decode('utf-8'),
+                cmd_stderr.decode('utf-8'),
+                subproc.returncode)
 
     def current_config_ids(self):
         # List all config_id labels for managed containers
diff --git a/paunch/tests/test_runner.py b/paunch/tests/test_runner.py
index fb28017..2017f66 100644
--- a/paunch/tests/test_runner.py
+++ b/paunch/tests/test_runner.py
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ class TestDockerRunner(base.TestCase):
     def mock_execute(self, popen, stdout, stderr, returncode):
         subproc = mock.Mock()
         subproc.returncode = returncode
-        subproc.communicate.return_value = (stdout, stderr)
+        subproc.communicate.return_value = (stdout.encode('utf-8'),
+                                            stderr.encode('utf-8'))
         popen.return_value = subproc
 
     def assert_execute(self, popen, cmd):
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 520af80..f1cdf9a 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ classifier =
     Programming Language :: Python :: 2
     Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4
+    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5
 
 [files]
 packages =