diff --git a/bumblebee_status/core/config.py b/bumblebee_status/core/config.py
index 47fbbe6..67aba5f 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/core/config.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/core/config.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class Config(util.store.Store):
         if os.path.exists(filename):
             log.info("loading {}".format(filename))
             tmp = RawConfigParser()
-            tmp.read(filename)
+            tmp.read(u"{}".format(filename))
 
             if tmp.has_section("module-parameters"):
                 for key, value in tmp.items("module-parameters"):
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/apt.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/apt.py
index 256ed15..417f752 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/apt.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/apt.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def parse_result(to_parse):
     # We want to line with the iforamtion about package upgrade
     line_to_parse = to_parse.split("\n")[-4]
     result = re.search(
-        "(.+) packages upgraded, (.+) newly installed, (.+) to remove", line_to_parse
+        r"(.+) packages upgraded, (.+) newly installed, (.+) to remove", line_to_parse
     )
 
     return int(result.group(1)), int(result.group(3))
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/progress.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/progress.py
index 4525d81..a1938d2 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/progress.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/progress.py
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
         #  6. speed
         #  7. time remaining
         extract_nospeed = re.compile(
-            "\[ *(\d*)\] ([a-zA-Z]*) (.*)\n\t(\d*\.*\d*)% \((.*)\)\n.*"
+            r"\[ *(\d*)\] ([a-zA-Z]*) (.*)\n\t(\d*\.*\d*)% \((.*)\)\n.*"
         )
         extract_wtspeed = re.compile(
-            "\[ *(\d*)\] ([a-zA-Z]*) (.*)\n\t(\d*\.*\d*)% \((.*)\) (\d*\.\d .*) remaining (\d*:\d*:\d*)\n.*"
+            r"\[ *(\d*)\] ([a-zA-Z]*) (.*)\n\t(\d*\.*\d*)% \((.*)\) (\d*\.\d .*) remaining (\d*:\d*:\d*)\n.*"
         )
 
         try:
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/rss.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/rss.py
index 628e4d3..7b8c032 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/rss.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/rss.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
         return image if image else ""
 
     def _remove_tags(self, txt):
-        return re.sub("<[^>]*>", "", txt)
+        return re.sub(r"<[^>]*>", "", txt)
 
     def _create_item(self, entry, url, feed):
         return {
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/spaceapi.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/spaceapi.py
index bab64c5..d29c081 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/spaceapi.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/spaceapi.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def formatStringBuilder(s, json):
         s -> format string
         json -> the spaceapi response object
     """
-    identifiers = re.findall("%%.*?%%", s)
+    identifiers = re.findall(r"%%.*?%%", s)
     for i in identifiers:
         ic = i[2:-2]  # Discard %%
         j = ic.split("%")
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/traffic.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/traffic.py
index 215033d..c9f7843 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/traffic.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/traffic.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
             minwidth_str += graph_prefix
         minwidth_str += "1000"
         try:
-            length = int(re.match("{:\.(\d+)f}", self._format).group(1))
+            length = int(re.match(r"{:\.(\d+)f}", self._format).group(1))
             if length > 0:
                 minwidth_str += "." + "0" * length
         except AttributeError:
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/watson.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/watson.py
index 7887328..d7b260b 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/watson.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/watson.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
 
     def update(self):
         output = util.cli.execute("watson status")
-        if re.match("No project started", output):
+        if re.match(r"No project started", output):
             self.__tracking = False
             return
 
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/weather.py b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/weather.py
index 0aa9785..72e0c27 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/weather.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/modules/contrib/weather.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Module(core.module.Module):
         return util.format.astemperature(self.__tempmax, self.__unit)
 
     def city(self):
-        city = re.sub("[_-]", " ", self.__city)
+        city = re.sub(r"[_-]", " ", self.__city)
         return "{} ".format(city)
 
     def output(self, widget):
diff --git a/bumblebee_status/util/format.py b/bumblebee_status/util/format.py
index fb142ac..198e995 100644
--- a/bumblebee_status/util/format.py
+++ b/bumblebee_status/util/format.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
 import re
 
 
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ def byte(val, fmt="{:.2f}"):
     return "{}GiB".format(fmt).format(val * 1024.0)
 
 
-__seconds_pattern = re.compile("(([\d\.?]+)h)?(([\d\.]+)m)?([\d\.]+)?s?")
+__seconds_pattern = re.compile(r"(([\d\.?]+)h)?(([\d\.]+)m)?([\d\.]+)?s?")
 
 
 def seconds(duration):