diff --git a/src/python/pants/backend/python/tasks/pytest_run.py b/src/python/pants/backend/python/tasks/pytest_run.py
index 9d6a47723a4..d63acdce8db 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/backend/python/tasks/pytest_run.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/backend/python/tasks/pytest_run.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-import configparser
 import itertools
 import json
 import os
@@ -18,6 +17,8 @@
 from io import StringIO
 from textwrap import dedent
 
+from backports import configparser
+
 from pants.backend.python.targets.python_tests import PythonTests
 from pants.backend.python.tasks.gather_sources import GatherSources
 from pants.backend.python.tasks.pytest_prep import PytestPrep
diff --git a/src/python/pants/option/config.py b/src/python/pants/option/config.py
index bb2c6ec36e5..7a607ebd6a9 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/option/config.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/option/config.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-import configparser
 import getpass
 import io
 import itertools
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 import six
+from backports import configparser
 from twitter.common.collections import OrderedSet
 
 from pants.base.build_environment import get_buildroot, get_pants_cachedir, get_pants_configdir
diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/backend/python/tasks/test_pytest_run.py b/tests/python/pants_test/backend/python/tasks/test_pytest_run.py
index 9a2daa0e7ec..65b35f53d72 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/backend/python/tasks/test_pytest_run.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/backend/python/tasks/test_pytest_run.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from textwrap import dedent
 
 import coverage
-from six.moves import configparser
+from backports import configparser
 
 from pants.backend.python.tasks.gather_sources import GatherSources
 from pants.backend.python.tasks.pytest_prep import PytestPrep
diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/pants_run_integration_test.py b/tests/python/pants_test/pants_run_integration_test.py
index a11ae0abb60..ca496176690 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/pants_run_integration_test.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/pants_run_integration_test.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-import configparser
 import glob
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@
 from operator import eq, ne
 from threading import Lock
 
+from backports import configparser
 from colors import strip_color
 
 from pants.base.build_environment import get_buildroot