diff --git a/gyp/gyp_main.py b/gyp/gyp_main.py
index 8dfc552e81..aece53c8eb 100755
--- a/gyp/gyp_main.py
+++ b/gyp/gyp_main.py
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@
 import sys
 import subprocess
 
+PY3 = bytes != str
+
 # Below IsCygwin() function copied from pylib/gyp/common.py
 def IsCygwin():
   try:
     out = subprocess.Popen("uname",
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
-    stdout,stderr = out.communicate()
+    stdout, stderr = out.communicate()
+    if PY3:
+      stdout = stdout.decode("utf-8")
     return "CYGWIN" in str(stdout)
   except Exception:
     return False
@@ -27,7 +31,9 @@ def UnixifyPath(path):
     out = subprocess.Popen(["cygpath", "-u", path],
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
-    stdout,stderr = out.communicate()
+    stdout, stderr = out.communicate()
+    if PY3:
+      stdout = stdout.decode("utf-8")
     return str(stdout)
   except Exception:
     return path
diff --git a/gyp/pylib/gyp/common.py b/gyp/pylib/gyp/common.py
index 8296d11fc3..071ad7e242 100644
--- a/gyp/pylib/gyp/common.py
+++ b/gyp/pylib/gyp/common.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 import sys
 import subprocess
 
+PY3 = bytes != str
+
 
 # A minimal memoizing decorator. It'll blow up if the args aren't immutable,
 # among other "problems".
@@ -623,7 +625,9 @@ def IsCygwin():
     out = subprocess.Popen("uname",
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
-    stdout,stderr = out.communicate()
+    stdout, stderr = out.communicate()
+    if PY3:
+      stdout = stdout.decode("utf-8")
     return "CYGWIN" in str(stdout)
   except Exception:
     return False