diff --git a/daemoncmd.py b/daemoncmd.py
index e2addcc..a540d09 100755
--- a/daemoncmd.py
+++ b/daemoncmd.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ def daemonize(stdin='/dev/null', stdout='/dev/null', stderr='/dev/null'):
     # streams.
     si = open(stdin, 'r')
     so = open(stdout, 'a+')
-    se = open(stderr, 'a+', 0)
+    se = open(stderr, 'a+b', 0)
 
     # hack and bug: when sys.stdin.close() has already been called,
     # os.dup2 throws an exception: ValueError: I/O operation on closed file
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ def running(pid):
         return False
     try:
         os.kill(pid, signal.SIG_DFL)
-    except OSError, exc:
+    except OSError as exc:
         if exc.errno == errno.ESRCH:
             # The specified PID does not exist
             return False