diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coder_impl.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coder_impl.py
index 4a65c69f4e02..6fd9b169ed60 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coder_impl.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coder_impl.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
 from builtins import chr
 from builtins import object
 
+from past.builtins import long
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from apache_beam.coders import observable
 from apache_beam.utils import windowed_value
 from apache_beam.utils.timestamp import MAX_TIMESTAMP
@@ -61,13 +64,6 @@
   from .slow_stream import get_varint_size
 # pylint: enable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position, ungrouped-imports
 
-try:                # Python 2
-  long              # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:   # Python 3
-  long = int
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class CoderImpl(object):
   """For internal use only; no backwards-compatibility guarantees."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coders.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coders.py
index 70237880cd21..cf4b9b5d520b 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coders.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/coders.py
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
 import base64
 from builtins import object
 
-import google.protobuf
-from google.protobuf import wrappers_pb2
+import google.protobuf.wrappers_pb2
+from future.moves import pickle
 
 from apache_beam.coders import coder_impl
 from apache_beam.portability import common_urns
@@ -33,12 +33,6 @@
 from apache_beam.portability.api import beam_runner_api_pb2
 from apache_beam.utils import proto_utils
 
-# This is for py2/3 compatibility. cPickle was renamed pickle in python 3.
-try:
-  import cPickle as pickle # Python 2
-except ImportError:
-  import pickle # Python 3
-
 # pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position, ungrouped-imports
 try:
   from .stream import get_varint_size
@@ -277,7 +271,7 @@ def from_runner_api(cls, coder_proto, context):
   def to_runner_api_parameter(self, context):
     return (
         python_urns.PICKLED_CODER,
-        wrappers_pb2.BytesValue(value=serialize_coder(self)),
+        google.protobuf.wrappers_pb2.BytesValue(value=serialize_coder(self)),
         ())
 
   @staticmethod
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/typecoders.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/typecoders.py
index e4efa2c7ffdf..7afb01585d44 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/typecoders.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/coders/typecoders.py
@@ -67,14 +67,11 @@ def MakeXyzs(v):
 
 from builtins import object
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from apache_beam.coders import coders
 from apache_beam.typehints import typehints
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 __all__ = ['registry']
 
 
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/cookbook/datastore_wordcount.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/cookbook/datastore_wordcount.py
index d09a46a14d52..b8c4213643ee 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/cookbook/datastore_wordcount.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/cookbook/datastore_wordcount.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 from google.cloud.proto.datastore.v1 import query_pb2
 from googledatastore import helper as datastore_helper
 from googledatastore import PropertyFilter
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import ReadFromText
@@ -83,11 +84,6 @@
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import PipelineOptions
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import SetupOptions
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class WordExtractingDoFn(beam.DoFn):
   """Parse each line of input text into words."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/snippets/snippets.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/snippets/snippets.py
index 161a67b037fe..d854431e56a1 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/snippets/snippets.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/snippets/snippets.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 from builtins import object
 from builtins import range
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import iobase
 from apache_beam.io.range_trackers import OffsetRangeTracker
@@ -55,11 +57,6 @@
 # pylint:disable=unused-variable
 # pylint:disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class SnippetUtils(object):
   from apache_beam.pipeline import PipelineVisitor
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount.py
index 388f9e39b5b2..8bc02fa9129a 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 import apache_beam.transforms.window as window
 from apache_beam.examples.wordcount import WordExtractingDoFn
@@ -30,11 +32,6 @@
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import SetupOptions
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import StandardOptions
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 def run(argv=None):
   """Build and run the pipeline."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount_debugging.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount_debugging.py
index 419e247e8ef8..3f0d91213e3f 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount_debugging.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/streaming_wordcount_debugging.py
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 import apache_beam.transforms.window as window
 from apache_beam.examples.wordcount import WordExtractingDoFn
@@ -48,11 +50,6 @@
 from apache_beam.testing.util import equal_to_per_window
 from apache_beam.transforms.core import ParDo
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class PrintFn(beam.DoFn):
   """A DoFn that prints label, element, its window, and its timstamp. """
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/windowed_wordcount.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/windowed_wordcount.py
index b5c4fde7aa7c..1ea7abda64f9 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/windowed_wordcount.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/windowed_wordcount.py
@@ -26,14 +26,11 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 import apache_beam.transforms.window as window
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 TABLE_SCHEMA = ('word:STRING, count:INTEGER, '
                 'window_start:TIMESTAMP, window_end:TIMESTAMP')
 
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount.py
index 3ba3b334188b..4492a737bd9a 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import ReadFromText
 from apache_beam.io import WriteToText
@@ -31,11 +33,6 @@
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import PipelineOptions
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import SetupOptions
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class WordExtractingDoFn(beam.DoFn):
   """Parse each line of input text into words."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_debugging.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_debugging.py
index 5d932d54ec60..23bb52b15691 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_debugging.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_debugging.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import ReadFromText
 from apache_beam.io import WriteToText
@@ -54,11 +56,6 @@
 from apache_beam.testing.util import assert_that
 from apache_beam.testing.util import equal_to
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class FilterTextFn(beam.DoFn):
   """A DoFn that filters for a specific key based on a regular expression."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_fnapi.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_fnapi.py
index 00964c9ea46c..bf4998af15e3 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_fnapi.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_fnapi.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import ReadFromText
 # TODO(BEAM-2887): Enable after the issue is fixed.
@@ -38,11 +40,6 @@
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import PipelineOptions
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import SetupOptions
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class WordExtractingDoFn(beam.DoFn):
   """Parse each line of input text into words."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_minimal.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_minimal.py
index 1fbca3279641..ef66a38ed550 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_minimal.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/examples/wordcount_minimal.py
@@ -50,17 +50,14 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 import apache_beam as beam
 from apache_beam.io import ReadFromText
 from apache_beam.io import WriteToText
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import PipelineOptions
 from apache_beam.options.pipeline_options import SetupOptions
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 def run(argv=None):
   """Main entry point; defines and runs the wordcount pipeline."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/internal/gcp/json_value.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/internal/gcp/json_value.py
index a4c6fb9d135a..ec85c288731e 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/internal/gcp/json_value.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/internal/gcp/json_value.py
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+from past.builtins import long
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from apache_beam.options.value_provider import ValueProvider
 
 # Protect against environments where apitools library is not available.
@@ -29,12 +32,6 @@
   extra_types = None
 # pylint: enable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 
-try:              # Python 2
-  unicode         # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-  long            # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-except NameError: # Python 3
-  unicode = str
-  long = int
 
 _MAXINT64 = (1 << 63) - 1
 _MININT64 = - (1 << 63)
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filebasedsink.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filebasedsink.py
index c4a746f5289d..dc6726e6442a 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filebasedsink.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filebasedsink.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 from builtins import zip
 
 from future.utils import iteritems
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 from apache_beam.internal import util
 from apache_beam.io import iobase
@@ -43,11 +44,6 @@
 
 __all__ = ['FileBasedSink']
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class FileBasedSink(iobase.Sink):
   """A sink to a GCS or local files.
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystem.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystem.py
index a9dafe6df703..e59b1f9f2f04 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystem.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystem.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 
 from future import standard_library
 from future.utils import with_metaclass
+from past.builtins import long
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 from apache_beam.utils.plugin import BeamPlugin
 
@@ -51,13 +53,6 @@
 __all__ = ['CompressionTypes', 'CompressedFile', 'FileMetadata', 'FileSystem',
            'MatchResult']
 
-try:
-  unicode       # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-  long          # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-  long = int
-
 
 class CompressionTypes(object):
   """Enum-like class representing known compression types."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystems.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystems.py
index 55ad5d1e33ed..91786b88c26b 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystems.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/filesystems.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import re
 from builtins import object
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from apache_beam.io.filesystem import BeamIOError
 from apache_beam.io.filesystem import CompressionTypes
 from apache_beam.io.filesystem import FileSystem
@@ -48,10 +50,6 @@
 except ImportError:
   pass
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
 
 # pylint: enable=wrong-import-position, unused-import
 
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/gcp/bigquery.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/gcp/bigquery.py
index be5f3cb6cdac..ee39a6678dea 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/gcp/bigquery.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/gcp/bigquery.py
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@
 
 from future.utils import iteritems
 from future.utils import itervalues
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 from apache_beam import coders
 from apache_beam.internal.gcp import auth
@@ -146,10 +147,6 @@
   pass
 # pylint: enable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
 
 __all__ = [
     'TableRowJsonCoder',
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers.py
index 2613b364b6f0..50439e198177 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers.py
@@ -24,16 +24,13 @@
 import math
 import threading
 
+from past.builtins import long
+
 from apache_beam.io import iobase
 
 __all__ = ['OffsetRangeTracker', 'LexicographicKeyRangeTracker',
            'OrderedPositionRangeTracker', 'UnsplittableRangeTracker']
 
-try:
-  long  # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-except NameError:
-  long = int
-
 
 class OffsetRangeTracker(iobase.RangeTracker):
   """A 'RangeTracker' for non-negative positions of type 'long'."""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers_test.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers_test.py
index f0c7ca4ace85..475510e5d1fb 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers_test.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/range_trackers_test.py
@@ -24,12 +24,9 @@
 import math
 import unittest
 
-from apache_beam.io import range_trackers
+from past.builtins import long
 
-try:
-  long  # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-except NameError:
-  long = int
+from apache_beam.io import range_trackers
 
 
 class OffsetRangeTrackerTest(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/vcfio.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/vcfio.py
index cd3b617e2c73..a5e606b26b1b 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/vcfio.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/io/vcfio.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from collections import namedtuple
 
 from future.utils import iteritems
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 import vcf
 
@@ -39,13 +40,6 @@
 from apache_beam.io.textio import _TextSource as TextSource
 from apache_beam.transforms import PTransform
 
-try:
-  unicode  # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-  int        # Python 2
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-  long = int  # Python 3
-
 
 __all__ = ['ReadFromVcf', 'Variant', 'VariantCall', 'VariantInfo',
            'MalformedVcfRecord']
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/pvalue.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/pvalue.py
index 5668b9a782d0..62cefa12bc85 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/pvalue.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/pvalue.py
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 from builtins import hex
 from builtins import object
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from apache_beam import coders
 from apache_beam import typehints
 from apache_beam.internal import pickler
@@ -38,11 +40,6 @@
 from apache_beam.portability import python_urns
 from apache_beam.portability.api import beam_runner_api_pb2
 
-try:
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:
-  unicode = str
-
 __all__ = [
     'PCollection',
     'TaggedOutput',
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/transforms/combiners.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/transforms/combiners.py
index b6f19c6c03eb..9b0c0e81e35e 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/transforms/combiners.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/transforms/combiners.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import operator
 import random
 
+from past.builtins import long
+
 from apache_beam.transforms import core
 from apache_beam.transforms import cy_combiners
 from apache_beam.transforms import ptransform
@@ -36,11 +38,6 @@
 from apache_beam.typehints import with_input_types
 from apache_beam.typehints import with_output_types
 
-try:
-  long        # Python 2
-except NameError:
-  long = int  # Python 3
-
 __all__ = [
     'Count',
     'Mean',
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/opcodes.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/opcodes.py
index a9874cfbda37..8bdf16b2191c 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/opcodes.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/opcodes.py
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 import types
 from functools import reduce
 
+from past.builtins import unicode
+
 from . import typehints
 from .trivial_inference import BoundMethod
 from .trivial_inference import Const
@@ -45,11 +47,6 @@
 from .typehints import Tuple
 from .typehints import Union
 
-try:                # Python 2
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:   # Python 3
-  unicode = str
-
 
 def pop_one(state, unused_arg):
   del state.stack[-1:]
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/typecheck.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/typecheck.py
index 0754ea9ed479..72106a560e4a 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/typecheck.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/typehints/typecheck.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import types
 
 from future.utils import raise_with_traceback
+from past.builtins import unicode
 
 from apache_beam import pipeline
 from apache_beam.pvalue import TaggedOutput
@@ -41,11 +42,6 @@
 from apache_beam.typehints.typehints import SimpleTypeHintError
 from apache_beam.typehints.typehints import check_constraint
 
-try:                # Python 2
-  unicode           # pylint: disable=unicode-builtin
-except NameError:   # Python 3
-  unicode = str
-
 
 class AbstractDoFnWrapper(DoFn):
   """An abstract class to create wrapper around DoFn"""
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/utils/timestamp.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/utils/timestamp.py
index e0c4093e7474..fe02ec273f04 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/utils/timestamp.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/utils/timestamp.py
@@ -29,11 +29,7 @@
 from builtins import object
 
 import pytz
-
-try:                # Python 2
-  long              # pylint: disable=long-builtin
-except NameError:   # Python 3
-  long = int
+from past.builtins import long
 
 
 @functools.total_ordering