diff --git a/python/flatbuffers/builder.py b/python/flatbuffers/builder.py
index 18cfab9c7..552d0e2b7 100644
--- a/python/flatbuffers/builder.py
+++ b/python/flatbuffers/builder.py
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ class Builder(object):
 
         if isinstance(s, compat.string_types):
             x = s.encode(encoding, errors)
-        elif isinstance(s, compat.binary_type):
+        elif isinstance(s, compat.binary_types):
             x = s
         else:
             raise TypeError("non-string passed to CreateString")
diff --git a/python/flatbuffers/compat.py b/python/flatbuffers/compat.py
index 345e38cbf..c592901c0 100644
--- a/python/flatbuffers/compat.py
+++ b/python/flatbuffers/compat.py
@@ -11,13 +11,16 @@ PY34 = sys.version_info[0:2] >= (3, 4)
 
 if PY3:
     string_types = (str,)
-    binary_type = bytes
+    binary_types = (bytes,bytearray)
     range_func = range
     memoryview_type = memoryview
     struct_bool_decl = "?"
 else:
-    string_types = (basestring,)
-    binary_type = str
+    string_types = (unicode,)
+    if PY26 or PY27:
+        binary_types = (str,bytearray)
+    else:
+        binary_types = (str,)
     range_func = xrange
     if PY26 or (PY27 and not PY275):
         memoryview_type = buffer