py3_hack.py

import __builtin__

orig_getattr = __builtin__.getattr
_getattr_sentinel = object()
def getattr_py3(object, name, default=_getattr_sentinel):
    if isinstance(name, bytes):
        raise TypeError(u'Do not pass bytestrings to getattr!')
    if default is not _getattr_sentinel:
        return orig_getattr(object, name, default)
    else:
        return orig_getattr(object, name)
__builtin__.getattr = getattr_py3

orig_setattr = __builtin__.setattr
def setattr_py3(object, name, value):
    if isinstance(name, bytes):
        raise TypeError(u'Do not pass bytestrings to setattr!')
    orig_setattr(object, name, value)
__builtin__.setattr = setattr_py3

# Example:
getattr(object(), b'foo')

# Traceback (most recent call last):
#   File ".\py3_hack.py", line 22, in <module>
#     getattr(object(), b'foo')
#   File ".\py3_hack.py", line 7, in getattr_py3
#     raise TypeError(u'Do not pass bytestrings to getattr!')
# TypeError: Do not pass bytestrings to getattr!