diff --git a/core/transcoder/transcoder.py b/core/transcoder/transcoder.py
index 977fbe54..67b4fe39 100644
--- a/core/transcoder/transcoder.py
+++ b/core/transcoder/transcoder.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def getVideoDetails(videofile, img=None, bitbucket=None):
 
 
 def buildCommands(file, newDir, movieName, bitbucket):
-    if isinstance(file, str):
+    if isinstance(file, basestring):
         inputFile = file
         if '"concat:' in file:
             file = file.split('|')[0].replace('concat:', '')
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ def processList(List, newDir, bitbucket):
     if combine:
         newList.extend(combineCD(combine))
     for file in newList:
-        if isinstance(file, str) and 'concat:' not in file and not os.path.isfile(file):
+        if isinstance(file, basestring) and 'concat:' not in file and not os.path.isfile(file):
             success = False
             break
     if success and newList:
@@ -748,13 +748,13 @@ def Transcode_directory(dirName):
         return 1, dirName
 
     for file in List:
-        if isinstance(file, str) and os.path.splitext(file)[1] in core.IGNOREEXTENSIONS:
+        if isinstance(file, basestring) and os.path.splitext(file)[1] in core.IGNOREEXTENSIONS:
             continue
         command = buildCommands(file, newDir, movieName, bitbucket)
         newfilePath = command[-1]
 
         # transcoding files may remove the original file, so make sure to extract subtitles first
-        if core.SEXTRACT and isinstance(file, str):
+        if core.SEXTRACT and isinstance(file, basestring):
             extract_subs(file, newfilePath, bitbucket)
 
         try:  # Try to remove the file that we're transcoding to just in case. (ffmpeg will return an error if it already exists for some reason)
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ def Transcode_directory(dirName):
         print_cmd(command)
         result = 1  # set result to failed in case call fails.
         try:
-            if isinstance(file, str):
+            if isinstance(file, basestring):
                 proc = subprocess.Popen(command, stdout=bitbucket, stderr=bitbucket)
             else:
                 img, data = iteritems(file).next()
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ def Transcode_directory(dirName):
         except:
             logger.error("Transcoding of video {0} has failed".format(newfilePath))
 
-        if core.SUBSDIR and result == 0 and isinstance(file, str):
+        if core.SUBSDIR and result == 0 and isinstance(file, basestring):
             for sub in get_subs(file):
                 name = os.path.splitext(os.path.split(file)[1])[0]
                 subname = os.path.split(sub)[1]