diff --git a/symposion/schedule/helpers.py b/symposion/schedule/helpers.py
index c5fa895348e4c104d9beb3380f7335a5b37743e6..68e72e39c1c542c3b9c22a13a7f430f8a5f6958e 100644
--- a/symposion/schedule/helpers.py
+++ b/symposion/schedule/helpers.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 This file contains functions that are useful to humans at the shell for
 manipulating the database in more natural ways.
 """
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from django.db import transaction
 
 from .models import Schedule, Day, Room, Slot, SlotKind, SlotRoom