diff --git a/bijoe/settings.py b/bijoe/settings.py
index 2a57b61..b115aaa 100644
--- a/bijoe/settings.py
+++ b/bijoe/settings.py
@@ -175,4 +175,4 @@ BIJOE_CACHE = True
 PAGE_LENGTH = 20
 
 if 'BIJOE_SETTINGS_FILE' in os.environ:
-    execfile(os.environ['BIJOE_SETTINGS_FILE'])
+    exec(open(os.environ['BIJOE_SETTINGS_FILE']).read())
diff --git a/debian/debian_config.py b/debian/debian_config.py
index 00dbe92..d75262a 100644
--- a/debian/debian_config.py
+++ b/debian/debian_config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# This file is sourced by "execfile" from bijoe.settings
+# This file is sourced by "exec" from bijoe.settings
 
 import os
 
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ PROJECT_NAME = 'bijoe'
 #
 INSTALLED_APPS = INSTALLED_APPS + ('mellon',)
 
-execfile('/usr/lib/hobo/debian_config_common.py')
+exec(open('/usr/lib/hobo/debian_config_common.py').read())
 
 # SAML2 authentication
 AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS = ('mellon.backends.SAMLBackend',)
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = ('bijoe.hobo_agent',) + INSTALLED_APPS
 #
 # local settings
 #
-execfile(os.path.join(ETC_DIR, 'settings.py'))
+exec(open(os.path.join(ETC_DIR, 'settings.py')).read())
 
 # run additional settings snippets
-execfile('/usr/lib/hobo/debian_config_settings_d.py')
+exec(open('/usr/lib/hobo/debian_config_settings_d.py').read())
diff --git a/debian/settings.py b/debian/settings.py
index 9cb3cf9..6cb5f8d 100644
--- a/debian/settings.py
+++ b/debian/settings.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # WARNING! Quick-start development settings unsuitable for production!
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.7/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
-# This file is sourced by "execfile" from /usr/lib/bijoe/debian_config.py
+# This file is sourced by "exec" from /usr/lib/bijoe/debian_config.py
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 DEBUG = False