diff --git a/IPython/core/logger.py b/IPython/core/logger.py
index 091da50..933d1a0 100644
--- a/IPython/core/logger.py
+++ b/IPython/core/logger.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import io
 import os
 import time
 
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import str_to_unicode
 
 #****************************************************************************
 # FIXME: This class isn't a mixin anymore, but it still needs attributes from
@@ -193,8 +192,8 @@ which already exists. But you must first start the logging process with
             write = self.logfile.write
             if kind=='input':
                 if self.timestamp:
-                    write(str_to_unicode(time.strftime('# %a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S\n',
-                                        time.localtime())))
+                    write(str(time.strftime('# %a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S\n',
+                                            time.localtime())))
                 write(data)
             elif kind=='output' and self.log_output:
                 odata = u'\n'.join([u'#[Out]# %s' % s
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/logging.py b/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
index 90214ab..5ef6a52 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import sys
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from warnings import warn
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import str_to_unicode
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ class LoggingMagics(Magics):
                 for n in range(1,len(input_hist)-1):
                     log_write(input_hist[n].rstrip() + u'\n')
                     if n in output_hist:
-                        log_write(str_to_unicode(repr(output_hist[n])),'output')
+                        log_write(str(repr(output_hist[n])),'output')
             else:
                 logger.log_write(u'\n'.join(input_hist[1:]))
                 logger.log_write(u'\n')
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
index 79e3d4b..72b4faf 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def test_list_profiles_in():
     # No need to remove these directories and files, as they will get nuked in
     # the module-level teardown.
     td = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=TMP_TEST_DIR)
-    td = py3compat.str_to_unicode(td)
+    td = str(td)
     for name in ('profile_foo', 'profile_hello', 'not_a_profile'):
         os.mkdir(os.path.join(td, name))
     if dec.unicode_paths:
@@ -161,4 +161,4 @@ def test_profile_create_ipython_dir():
         assert os.path.exists(profile_dir)
         ipython_config = os.path.join(profile_dir, 'ipython_config.py')
         assert os.path.exists(ipython_config)
-        
\ No newline at end of file
+        
diff --git a/IPython/terminal/magics.py b/IPython/terminal/magics.py
index 5be9234..f17f567 100644
--- a/IPython/terminal/magics.py
+++ b/IPython/terminal/magics.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def get_pasted_lines(sentinel, l_input=py3compat.input, quiet=False):
         prompt = ""
     while True:
         try:
-            l = py3compat.str_to_unicode(l_input(prompt))
+            l = str(l_input(prompt))
             if l == sentinel:
                 return
             else: