diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ def get_package_name(req_object):
     return package_name
 
 
-if sys.version_info < (2, 7):
-    raise Exception('RhodeCode requires Python 2.7 or later')
+if sys.version_info < (3, 10):
+    raise Exception('RhodeCode requires Python 3.10 or later')
 
 here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ test_requirements = _get_requirements(
 
 def get_version():
     version = pkgutil.get_data('rhodecode', 'VERSION')
-    return version.strip()
+    return version.decode().strip()
 
 
 # additional files that goes into package itself
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ setup(
         'Operating System :: OS Independent',
         'Topic :: Software Development :: Version Control',
         'License :: OSI Approved :: Affero GNU General Public License v3 or later (AGPLv3+)',
-        'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10',
     ],
     message_extractors={
         'rhodecode': [