@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ def byte_ord(b):
         return b
     def bchr(n):
         return bytes([n])
+    def mviter(d):
+        return d.values()
 else:
     FileType = file
     # usually, this is just ascii, which might not enough for our encoding needs
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ def bchr(n):
         defenc = 'utf-8'
     byte_ord = ord
     bchr = chr
+    def mviter(d):
+        return d.itervalues()
 
 
 def with_metaclass(meta, *bases):
 
@@ -99,6 +99,13 @@ def __init__(self, config, section):
         self._config = config
         self._section_name = section
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        # Yes, for some reason, we have to call it explicitly for it to work in PY3 !
+        # Apparently __del__ doesn't get call anymore if refcount becomes 0
+        # Ridiculous ... .
+        self._config.__del__()
+        # del self._config
+
     def __getattr__(self, attr):
         if attr in self._valid_attrs_:
             return lambda *args, **kwargs: self._call_config(attr, *args, **kwargs)
@@ -193,7 +200,7 @@ def __del__(self):
         """Write pending changes if required and release locks"""
         # checking for the lock here makes sure we do not raise during write()
         # in case an invalid parser was created who could not get a lock
-        if self.read_only or not self._lock._has_lock():
+        if self.read_only or (self._lock and not self._lock._has_lock()):
             return
 
         try:
 
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@
     izip,
     xrange,
     string_types,
-    force_bytes
+    force_bytes,
+    defenc,
+    mviter
 )
 
 from git.util import (
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ def __init__(self, repo, file_path=None):
         repository's index on demand."""
         self.repo = repo
         self.version = self._VERSION
-        self._extension_data = ''
+        self._extension_data = b''
         self._file_path = file_path or self._index_path()
 
     def _set_cache_(self, attr):
@@ -165,9 +167,7 @@ def _deserialize(self, stream):
 
     def _entries_sorted(self):
         """:return: list of entries, in a sorted fashion, first by path, then by stage"""
-        entries_sorted = self.entries.values()
-        entries_sorted.sort(key=lambda e: (e.path, e.stage))        # use path/stage as sort key
-        return entries_sorted
+        return sorted(self.entries.values(), key=lambda e: (e.path, e.stage))
 
     def _serialize(self, stream, ignore_tree_extension_data=False):
         entries = self._entries_sorted()
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ def _write_path_to_stdin(self, proc, filepath, item, fmakeexc, fprogress,
         fprogress(filepath, False, item)
         rval = None
         try:
-            proc.stdin.write("%s\n" % filepath)
+            proc.stdin.write(("%s\n" % filepath).encode(defenc))
         except IOError:
             # pipe broke, usually because some error happend
             raise fmakeexc()
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ def iter_blobs(self, predicate=lambda t: True):
             Function(t) returning True if tuple(stage, Blob) should be yielded by the
             iterator. A default filter, the BlobFilter, allows you to yield blobs
             only if they match a given list of paths. """
-        for entry in self.entries.itervalues():
+        for entry in mviter(self.entries):
             blob = entry.to_blob(self.repo)
             blob.size = entry.size
             output = (entry.stage, blob)
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ def unmerged_blobs(self):
         for stage, blob in self.iter_blobs(is_unmerged_blob):
             path_map.setdefault(blob.path, list()).append((stage, blob))
         # END for each unmerged blob
-        for l in path_map.itervalues():
+        for l in mviter(path_map):
             l.sort()
         return path_map
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ def move(self, items, skip_errors=False, **kwargs):
 
         # parse result - first 0:n/2 lines are 'checking ', the remaining ones
         # are the 'renaming' ones which we parse
-        for ln in xrange(len(mvlines) / 2, len(mvlines)):
+        for ln in xrange(int(len(mvlines) / 2), len(mvlines)):
             tokens = mvlines[ln].split(' to ')
             assert len(tokens) == 2, "Too many tokens in %s" % mvlines[ln]
 
@@ -958,6 +958,7 @@ def handle_stderr(proc, iter_checked_out_files):
             if not stderr:
                 return
             # line contents:
+            stderr = stderr.decode(defenc)
             # git-checkout-index: this already exists
             failed_files = list()
             failed_reasons = list()
@@ -1006,7 +1007,7 @@ def handle_stderr(proc, iter_checked_out_files):
             proc = self.repo.git.checkout_index(*args, **kwargs)
             proc.wait()
             fprogress(None, True, None)
-            rval_iter = (e.path for e in self.entries.itervalues())
+            rval_iter = (e.path for e in mviter(self.entries))
             handle_stderr(proc, rval_iter)
             return rval_iter
         else:
@@ -1036,7 +1037,7 @@ def handle_stderr(proc, iter_checked_out_files):
                     dir = co_path
                     if not dir.endswith('/'):
                         dir += '/'
-                    for entry in self.entries.itervalues():
+                    for entry in mviter(self.entries):
                         if entry.path.startswith(dir):
                             p = entry.path
                             self._write_path_to_stdin(proc, p, p, make_exc,
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def write_cache(entries, stream, extension_data=None, ShaStreamCls=IndexFileSHA1
 
     # header
     version = 2
-    write("DIRC")
+    write(b"DIRC")
     write(pack(">LL", version, len(entries)))
 
     # body
 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def binsha(self):
     @property
     def hexsha(self):
         """hex version of our sha"""
-        return b2a_hex(self[1])
+        return b2a_hex(self[1]).decode('ascii')
 
     @property
     def stage(self):
 
@@ -732,7 +732,10 @@ def _clone(cls, git, url, path, odb_default_type, progress, **kwargs):
         # sure
         repo = cls(os.path.abspath(path), odbt=odbt)
         if repo.remotes:
-            repo.remotes[0].config_writer.set_value('url', repo.remotes[0].url.replace("\\\\", "\\").replace("\\", "/"))
+            writer = repo.remotes[0].config_writer
+            writer.set_value('url', repo.remotes[0].url.replace("\\\\", "\\").replace("\\", "/"))
+            # PY3: be sure cleanup is performed and lock is released
+            del writer
         # END handle remote repo
         return repo
 
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args):
 
     def _assert_fprogress(self, entries):
         assert len(entries) == len(self._fprogress_map)
-        for path, call_count in self._fprogress_map.iteritems():
+        for path, call_count in self._fprogress_map.items():
             assert call_count == 2
         # END for each item in progress map
         self._reset_progress()
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def test_index_file_base(self):
         assert index.version > 0
 
         # test entry
-        entry = index.entries.itervalues().next()
+        entry = next(iter(index.entries.values()))
         for attr in ("path", "ctime", "mtime", "dev", "inode", "mode", "uid",
                      "gid", "size", "binsha", "hexsha", "stage"):
             getattr(entry, attr)
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def test_index_file_base(self):
         # test stage
         index_merge = IndexFile(self.rorepo, fixture_path("index_merge"))
         assert len(index_merge.entries) == 106
-        assert len(list(e for e in index_merge.entries.itervalues() if e.stage != 0))
+        assert len(list(e for e in index_merge.entries.values() if e.stage != 0))
 
         # write the data - it must match the original
         tmpfile = tempfile.mktemp()
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def test_index_file_from_tree(self, rw_repo):
         assert unmerged_blob_map
 
         # pick the first blob at the first stage we find and use it as resolved version
-        three_way_index.resolve_blobs(l[0][1] for l in unmerged_blob_map.itervalues())
+        three_way_index.resolve_blobs(l[0][1] for l in unmerged_blob_map.values())
         tree = three_way_index.write_tree()
         assert isinstance(tree, Tree)
         num_blobs = 0
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ def test_index_merge_tree(self, rw_repo):
         # Add a change with a NULL sha that should conflict with next_commit. We
         # pretend there was a change, but we do not even bother adding a proper
         # sha for it ( which makes things faster of course )
-        manifest_fake_entry = BaseIndexEntry((manifest_entry[0], "\0" * 20, 0, manifest_entry[3]))
+        manifest_fake_entry = BaseIndexEntry((manifest_entry[0], b"\0" * 20, 0, manifest_entry[3]))
         # try write flag
         self._assert_entries(rw_repo.index.add([manifest_fake_entry], write=False))
         # add actually resolves the null-hex-sha for us as a feature, but we can
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ def test_index_merge_tree(self, rw_repo):
         # now make a proper three way merge with unmerged entries
         unmerged_tree = IndexFile.from_tree(rw_repo, parent_commit, tree, next_commit)
         unmerged_blobs = unmerged_tree.unmerged_blobs()
-        assert len(unmerged_blobs) == 1 and unmerged_blobs.keys()[0] == manifest_key[0]
+        assert len(unmerged_blobs) == 1 and list(unmerged_blobs.keys())[0] == manifest_key[0]
 
     @with_rw_repo('0.1.6')
     def test_index_file_diffing(self, rw_repo):
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ def test_index_file_diffing(self, rw_repo):
         assert index.diff(None)
 
         # reset the working copy as well to current head,to pull 'back' as well
-        new_data = "will be reverted"
+        new_data = b"will be reverted"
         file_path = os.path.join(rw_repo.working_tree_dir, "CHANGES")
         fp = open(file_path, "wb")
         fp.write(new_data)
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ def test_index_file_diffing(self, rw_repo):
 
         # test full checkout
         test_file = os.path.join(rw_repo.working_tree_dir, "CHANGES")
-        open(test_file, 'ab').write("some data")
+        open(test_file, 'ab').write(b"some data")
         rval = index.checkout(None, force=True, fprogress=self._fprogress)
         assert 'CHANGES' in list(rval)
         self._assert_fprogress([None])
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ def test_index_file_diffing(self, rw_repo):
         self.failUnlessRaises(CheckoutError, index.checkout, paths=["doesnt/exist"])
 
         # checkout file with modifications
-        append_data = "hello"
+        append_data = b"hello"
         fp = open(test_file, "ab")
         fp.write(append_data)
         fp.close()
@@ -346,13 +346,13 @@ def test_index_file_diffing(self, rw_repo):
             assert len(e.failed_files) == 1 and e.failed_files[0] == os.path.basename(test_file)
             assert (len(e.failed_files) == len(e.failed_reasons)) and isinstance(e.failed_reasons[0], string_types)
             assert len(e.valid_files) == 0
-            assert open(test_file).read().endswith(append_data)
+            assert open(test_file, 'rb').read().endswith(append_data)
         else:
             raise AssertionError("Exception CheckoutError not thrown")
 
         # if we force it it should work
         index.checkout(test_file, force=True)
-        assert not open(test_file).read().endswith(append_data)
+        assert not open(test_file, 'rb').read().endswith(append_data)
 
         # checkout directory
         shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(rw_repo.working_tree_dir, "lib"))
@@ -379,14 +379,15 @@ def test_index_mutation(self, rw_repo):
 
         uname = "Some Developer"
         umail = "sd@company.com"
-        rw_repo.config_writer().set_value("user", "name", uname)
-        rw_repo.config_writer().set_value("user", "email", umail)
+        writer = rw_repo.config_writer()
+        writer.set_value("user", "name", uname)
+        writer.set_value("user", "email", umail)
 
         # remove all of the files, provide a wild mix of paths, BaseIndexEntries,
         # IndexEntries
         def mixed_iterator():
             count = 0
-            for entry in index.entries.itervalues():
+            for entry in index.entries.values():
                 type_id = count % 4
                 if type_id == 0:    # path
                     yield entry.path
@@ -500,7 +501,7 @@ def mixed_iterator():
 
         # mode 0 not allowed
         null_hex_sha = Diff.NULL_HEX_SHA
-        null_bin_sha = "\0" * 20
+        null_bin_sha = b"\0" * 20
         self.failUnlessRaises(ValueError, index.reset(
             new_commit).add, [BaseIndexEntry((0, null_bin_sha, 0, "doesntmatter"))])
 
@@ -526,7 +527,7 @@ def mixed_iterator():
             assert S_ISLNK(index.entries[index.entry_key("my_real_symlink", 0)].mode)
 
             # we expect only the target to be written
-            assert index.repo.odb.stream(entries[0].binsha).read() == target
+            assert index.repo.odb.stream(entries[0].binsha).read().decode('ascii') == target
         # END real symlink test
 
         # add fake symlink and assure it checks-our as symlink
@@ -618,7 +619,7 @@ def make_paths():
 
             for fid in range(3):
                 fname = 'newfile%i' % fid
-                open(fname, 'wb').write("abcd")
+                open(fname, 'wb').write(b"abcd")
                 yield Blob(rw_repo, Blob.NULL_BIN_SHA, 0o100644, fname)
             # END for each new file
         # END path producer
@@ -716,5 +717,5 @@ def test_index_bare_add(self, rw_bare_repo):
         try:
             rw_bare_repo.index.add([path])
         except Exception as e:
-            asserted = "does not have a working tree" in e.message
+            asserted = "does not have a working tree" in str(e)
         assert asserted, "Adding using a filename is not correctly asserted."
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ class IndexFileSHA1Writer(object):
 
     def __init__(self, f):
         self.f = f
-        self.sha1 = make_sha("")
+        self.sha1 = make_sha(b"")
 
     def write(self, data):
         self.sha1.update(data)
@@ -490,10 +490,7 @@ def _lock_file_path(self):
     def _has_lock(self):
         """:return: True if we have a lock and if the lockfile still exists
         :raise AssertionError: if our lock-file does not exist"""
-        if not self._owns_lock:
-            return False
-
-        return True
+        return self._owns_lock
 
     def _obtain_lock_or_raise(self):
         """Create a lock file as flag for other instances, mark our instance as lock-holder
@@ -531,7 +528,7 @@ def _release_lock(self):
             # on bloody windows, the file needs write permissions to be removable.
             # Why ...
             if os.name == 'nt':
-                os.chmod(lfp, int("0777", 8))
+                os.chmod(lfp, 0o777)
             # END handle win32
             os.remove(lfp)
         except OSError: