diff --git a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/PDRates.py b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/PDRates.py
index e9193cad000cc..674f8c250b532 100755
--- a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/PDRates.py
+++ b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/PDRates.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-#! /usr/bin/env python
+#! /usr/bin/env python3
 from __future__ import print_function
 import sys, imp
 import os
-import commands
+import subprocess
 
 from optparse import OptionParser
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def PrimaryDatasets(Run):
 
     dbs_cmd = """ dbs search --query='find primds.name 
           	where run=%d and dataset like */RAW' """ % (Run)
-    rows = commands.getoutput(dbs_cmd)
+    rows = subprocess.getoutput(dbs_cmd)
     lines = rows.split("\n")
     j=0
     print("\nThe primary datasets for this run are: \n")
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def RateInPD(Run,PrimaryDataset,lsMin,lsMax,printLS=False):
 		where run=%d and dataset like /%s/*/RAW 
 		and lumi >= %d and lumi <= %d
 		and file.status=VALID '""" % (Run, PrimaryDataset,lsMin, lsMax)
-    rows = commands.getoutput(dbs_cmd)
+    rows = subprocess.getoutput(dbs_cmd)
     lines = rows.split("\n")
     j=0
     LumiSections = []
diff --git a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTPrescaleColumns.py b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTPrescaleColumns.py
index bf9a632c7126a..d2e8af4eb5275 100755
--- a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTPrescaleColumns.py
+++ b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTPrescaleColumns.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python 
+#!/usr/bin/env python3 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from sys import stderr, exit
-import commands
+import subprocess
 
 from optparse import OptionParser
 parser = OptionParser(usage="usage: %prog [options] Trigger_Path")
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 def getPrescalesFromKey(key):
     #stderr.write("\t%s ...\n" % key);
     cmd = ( edmCfgFromDB +" --configName "+key + " | grep -i "+ path + " | tail -1 | awk ' $2 ==\"%s\" {print $NL}' " ) % path
-    res = commands.getoutput(cmd)
+    res = subprocess.getoutput(cmd)
     res_split = res.split()
     psMap = {}
     aa=""
diff --git a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTkey.py b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTkey.py
index ae073c0f90a3f..f58273089eaba 100755
--- a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTkey.py
+++ b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTkey.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python 
+#!/usr/bin/env python3 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from sys import stderr, exit
-import commands
 
 
 #
diff --git a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTprescales.py b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTprescales.py
index 81f028f82dcfb..00051d8662ff3 100755
--- a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTprescales.py
+++ b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/getHLTprescales.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python 
+#!/usr/bin/env python3 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from sys import stderr, exit
-import commands
+import subprocess
 
 from optparse import OptionParser
 parser = OptionParser(usage="usage: %prog [options] Trigger_Path")
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 def getPrescalesFromKey(key):
     #stderr.write("\t%s ...\n" % key);
     cmd = ( edmCfgFromDB +" --configName "+key + " | grep -i "+ path + " | tail -1 | awk ' $2 ==\"%s\" {print $NL}' " ) % path
-    res = commands.getoutput(cmd)
+    res = subprocess.getoutput(cmd)
     res_split = res.split()
     psCols = []
     if len(res)>0:
diff --git a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/makeHLTPrescaleTable.py b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/makeHLTPrescaleTable.py
index 9e7399c88f946..f673207a8ebaa 100755
--- a/HLTrigger/Tools/python/makeHLTPrescaleTable.py
+++ b/HLTrigger/Tools/python/makeHLTPrescaleTable.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python 
+#!/usr/bin/env python3 
 from __future__ import print_function
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from sys import stderr, exit
-import commands, os
+import subprocess, os
 
 from optparse import OptionParser
 parser = OptionParser(usage=
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def getProcessObjectFromConfDB(hlt_key):
    # print >> stderr,"\t%s ..." % hlt_key
    cmd = "edmConfigFromDB --orcoff --configName " + hlt_key
    # print >> stderr, "cmd=",cmd
-   res = commands.getoutput(cmd)
+   res = subprocess.getoutput(cmd)
 
    # potentially dangerous: we're running python code here
    # which we get from an external process (confDB).