diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_inputtransformer.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_inputtransformer.py
index 0d97fd4..bf0d1af 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_inputtransformer.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_inputtransformer.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import nose.tools as nt
 
 from IPython.testing import tools as tt
 from IPython.utils import py3compat
-u_fmt = py3compat.u_format
 
 from IPython.core import inputtransformer as ipt
 
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ def transform_checker(tests, transformer, **kwargs):
 
 syntax = \
   dict(assign_system =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [(u'a =! ls', "a = get_ipython().getoutput('ls')"),
         (u'b = !ls', "b = get_ipython().getoutput('ls')"),
         (u'c= !ls', "c = get_ipython().getoutput('ls')"),
@@ -53,10 +51,9 @@ syntax = \
         (u"a, b = range(2)", u"a, b = range(2)"),
         (u"a, = range(1)", u"a, = range(1)"),
         (u"a, *bc = range(3)", u"a, *bc = range(3)"),
-        ]],
+        ],
 
        assign_magic =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [(u'a =% who', "a = get_ipython().run_line_magic('who', '')"),
         (u'b = %who', "b = get_ipython().run_line_magic('who', '')"),
         (u'c= %ls', "c = get_ipython().run_line_magic('ls', '')"),
@@ -64,7 +61,7 @@ syntax = \
         ('x=1', 'x=1'), # normal input is unmodified
         ('    ','    '),  # blank lines are kept intact
         (u"a, b = %foo", u"a, b = get_ipython().run_line_magic('foo', '')"),
-        ]],
+        ],
 
        classic_prompt =
        [('>>> x=1', 'x=1'),
@@ -86,16 +83,14 @@ syntax = \
 
        # System calls
        escaped_shell =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [ (u'!ls', "get_ipython().system('ls')"),
          # Double-escape shell, this means to capture the output of the
          # subprocess and return it
          (u'!!ls', "get_ipython().getoutput('ls')"),
-         ]],
+         ],
 
        # Help/object info
        escaped_help =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [ (u'?', 'get_ipython().show_usage()'),
          (u'?x1', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', 'x1')"),
          (u'??x2', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo2', 'x2')"),
@@ -103,10 +98,9 @@ syntax = \
          (u'?%hist1', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', '%hist1')"),
          (u'?%%hist2', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', '%%hist2')"),
          (u'?abc = qwe', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', 'abc')"),
-         ]],
+         ],
 
       end_help =
-      [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
       [ (u'x3?', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', 'x3')"),
         (u'x4??', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo2', 'x4')"),
         (u'%hist1?', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', '%hist1')"),
@@ -125,17 +119,16 @@ syntax = \
         (u'plot(a?', "get_ipython().set_next_input('plot(a');"
                      "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', 'a')"),
         (u'a*2 #comment?', 'a*2 #comment?'),
-        ]],
+        ],
 
        # Explicit magic calls
        escaped_magic =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [ (u'%cd', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('cd', '')"),
          (u'%cd /home', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('cd', '/home')"),
          # Backslashes need to be escaped.
          (u'%cd C:\\User', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('cd', 'C:\\\\User')"),
          (u'    %magic', "    get_ipython().run_line_magic('magic', '')"),
-         ]],
+         ],
 
        # Quoting with separate arguments
        escaped_quote =
@@ -163,13 +156,12 @@ syntax = \
 
        # Check that we transform prompts before other transforms
        mixed =
-       [(i,py3compat.u_format(o)) for i,o in \
        [ (u'In [1]: %lsmagic', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('lsmagic', '')"),
          (u'>>> %lsmagic', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('lsmagic', '')"),
          (u'In [2]: !ls', "get_ipython().system('ls')"),
          (u'In [3]: abs?', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('pinfo', 'abs')"),
          (u'In [4]: b = %who', "b = get_ipython().run_line_magic('who', '')"),
-         ]],
+         ],
        )
 
 # multiline syntax examples.  Each of these should be a list of lists, with
@@ -284,11 +276,11 @@ syntax_ml = \
        
        cellmagic =
        [ [(u'%%foo a', None),
-          (None, u_fmt("get_ipython().run_cell_magic('foo', 'a', '')")),
+          (None, "get_ipython().run_cell_magic('foo', 'a', '')"),
           ],
          [(u'%%bar 123', None),
           (u'hello', None),
-          (None , u_fmt("get_ipython().run_cell_magic('bar', '123', 'hello')")),
+          (None , "get_ipython().run_cell_magic('bar', '123', 'hello')"),
           ],
          [(u'a=5', 'a=5'),
           (u'%%cellmagic', '%%cellmagic'),
@@ -297,31 +289,31 @@ syntax_ml = \
        
        escaped =
        [ [('%abc def \\', None),
-          ('ghi', u_fmt("get_ipython().run_line_magic('abc', 'def ghi')")),
+          ('ghi', "get_ipython().run_line_magic('abc', 'def ghi')"),
           ],
          [('%abc def \\', None),
           ('ghi\\', None),
-          (None, u_fmt("get_ipython().run_line_magic('abc', 'def ghi')")),
+          (None, "get_ipython().run_line_magic('abc', 'def ghi')"),
           ],
        ],
        
        assign_magic =
        [ [(u'a = %bc de \\', None),
-          (u'fg', u_fmt("a = get_ipython().run_line_magic('bc', 'de fg')")),
+          (u'fg', "a = get_ipython().run_line_magic('bc', 'de fg')"),
           ],
          [(u'a = %bc de \\', None),
           (u'fg\\', None),
-          (None, u_fmt("a = get_ipython().run_line_magic('bc', 'de fg')")),
+          (None, "a = get_ipython().run_line_magic('bc', 'de fg')"),
           ],
        ],
        
        assign_system =
        [ [(u'a = !bc de \\', None),
-          (u'fg', u_fmt("a = get_ipython().getoutput('bc de fg')")),
+          (u'fg', "a = get_ipython().getoutput('bc de fg')"),
           ],
          [(u'a = !bc de \\', None),
           (u'fg\\', None),
-          (None, u_fmt("a = get_ipython().getoutput('bc de fg')")),
+          (None, "a = get_ipython().getoutput('bc de fg')"),
           ],
        ],
        )
@@ -437,7 +429,7 @@ def test_cellmagic():
     
     line_example = [(u'%%bar 123', None),
                     (u'hello', None),
-                    (u'' , u_fmt("get_ipython().run_cell_magic('bar', '123', 'hello')")),
+                    (u'' , "get_ipython().run_cell_magic('bar', '123', 'hello')"),
                    ]
     transform_checker(line_example, ipt.cellmagic, end_on_blank_line=True)
 
@@ -475,16 +467,16 @@ def decistmt(tokens):
 
 
 def test_token_input_transformer():
-    tests = [(u'1.2', u_fmt(u"Decimal ('1.2')")),
+    tests = [(u'1.2', u"Decimal ('1.2')"),
              (u'"1.2"', u'"1.2"'),
              ]
     tt.check_pairs(transform_and_reset(decistmt), tests)
     ml_tests = \
     [ [(u"a = 1.2; b = '''x", None),
-       (u"y'''", u_fmt(u"a =Decimal ('1.2');b ='''x\ny'''")),
+       (u"y'''", u"a =Decimal ('1.2');b ='''x\ny'''"),
       ],
       [(u"a = [1.2,", None),
-       (u"3]", u_fmt(u"a =[Decimal ('1.2'),\n3 ]")),
+       (u"3]", u"a =[Decimal ('1.2'),\n3 ]"),
       ],
       [(u"a = '''foo", None),  # Test resetting when within a multi-line string
        (u"bar", None),
diff --git a/IPython/utils/py3compat.py b/IPython/utils/py3compat.py
index c758787..62bcc91 100644
--- a/IPython/utils/py3compat.py
+++ b/IPython/utils/py3compat.py
@@ -39,26 +39,6 @@ def buffer_to_bytes(buf):
         buf = bytes(buf)
     return buf
 
-def _modify_str_or_docstring(str_change_func):
-    @functools.wraps(str_change_func)
-    def wrapper(func_or_str):
-        if isinstance(func_or_str, (str,)):
-            func = None
-            doc = func_or_str
-        else:
-            func = func_or_str
-            doc = func.__doc__
-
-        # PYTHONOPTIMIZE=2 strips docstrings, so they can disappear unexpectedly
-        if doc is not None:
-            doc = str_change_func(doc)
-
-        if func:
-            func.__doc__ = doc
-            return func
-        return doc
-    return wrapper
-
 def safe_unicode(e):
     """unicode(e) with various fallbacks. Used for exceptions, which may not be
     safe to call unicode() on.
@@ -167,18 +147,6 @@ def execfile(fname, glob, loc=None, compiler=None):
         compiler = compiler or compile
         exec(compiler(f.read(), fname, 'exec'), glob, loc)
 
-# Refactor print statements in doctests.
-_print_statement_re = re.compile(r"\bprint (?P<expr>.*)$", re.MULTILINE)
-
-# Abstract u'abc' syntax:
-@_modify_str_or_docstring
-def u_format(s):
-    """"{u}'abc'" --> "'abc'" (Python 3)
-
-    Accepts a string or a function, so it can be used as a decorator."""
-    return s.format(u='')
-
-
 PY2 = not PY3
 PYPY = platform.python_implementation() == "PyPy"