diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/char_set.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/char_set.py
index 7f0d1d0d13..31e5e66bbe 100755
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/char_set.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/char_set.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
 char_set = """
 <ms_standard>
 NON-BREAKING HYPEHN:_:8290:&#x2011;
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ DIGIT SIX:'36:54:6
 DIGIT SEVEN:'37:55:7
 DIGIT EIGHT:'38:56:8
 DIGIT NINE:'39:57:9
-COLON:'3A:58:\colon
+COLON:'3A:58:\\colon
 SEMICOLON:'3B:59:;
 LESS-THAN SIGN:'3C:60:&lt;
 EQUALS SIGN:'3D:61:=
@@ -15335,7 +15336,7 @@ DIGIT SIX:6:54:\'36
 DIGIT SEVEN:7:55:\'37
 DIGIT EIGHT:8:56:\'38
 DIGIT NINE:9:57:\'39
-COLON:\colon:58:\'3A
+COLON:\\colon:58:\'3A
 SEMICOLON:;:59:\'3B
 EQUALS SIGN:=:61:\'3D
 QUESTION MARK:?:63:\'3F
@@ -15366,7 +15367,7 @@ LATIN CAPITAL LETTER X:X:88:\'58
 LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y:Y:89:\'59
 LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Z:Z:90:\'5A
 LEFT SQUARE BRACKET:[:91:\'5B
-REVERSE SOLIDUS:\:92:\'5C
+REVERSE SOLIDUS:\\:92:\'5C
 RIGHT SQUARE BRACKET:]:93:\'5D
 LATIN SMALL LETTER A:a:97:\'61
 LATIN SMALL LETTER B:b:98:\'62
@@ -16175,7 +16176,7 @@ MY OPEN MAILBOX:.:0:<open_mailbox/>
 WRITING HAND:?:9996:&#x270C;
 EIGHT PETALLED OUTLINED BLACK FLORETTE:|:10049:&#x2741;
 MY OPEN MAILBOX:/:0:<open_mailbox/>
-MY COMPUETR:\colon:0:<computer/>
+MY COMPUETR:\\colon:0:<computer/>
 MY DOWNWARD LEAF:" :0:<downward_leaf/>
 MY UPWARD LEAF:"  :0:<upward_leaf/>
 </wingdings_old>
@@ -16681,7 +16682,7 @@ TELEPHONE LOCATION SIGN:&:9990:&#x2706;
 BLACK RIGHT POINTING INDEX:*:9755:&#x261B;
 AIRPLANE:(:9992:&#x2708;
 ENVELOPE:):9993:&#x2709;
-HEAVY GREK CROSS:\colon:10010:&#x271A;
+HEAVY GREK CROSS:\\colon:10010:&#x271A;
 OUTLINED LATIN CROSS:?:10015:&#x271F;
 PENCIL:/:9999:&#x270F;
 OPEN CENTRE TEARDROP-SPOKED ASTERISK:\\:10044:&#x273C;
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/hex_2_utf8.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/hex_2_utf8.py
index 201f3c6ab2..cf6963c8a2 100755
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/hex_2_utf8.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/hex_2_utf8.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #                                                                       #
 #                                                                       #
 #########################################################################
-import sys, os, cStringIO
+import sys, os, io
 
 from calibre.ebooks.rtf2xml import get_char_map, copy
 from calibre.ebooks.rtf2xml.char_set import char_set
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class Hex2Utf8:
         # 128, and the encoding system for Microsoft characters.
         # New on 2004-05-8: the self.__char_map is not in directory with other
         # modules
-        self.__char_file = cStringIO.StringIO(char_set)
+        self.__char_file = io.StringIO(char_set)
         char_map_obj =  get_char_map.GetCharMap(
                 char_file=self.__char_file,
                 bug_handler=self.__bug_handler,