diff --git a/mwparserfromhell/compat.py b/mwparserfromhell/compat.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8b3b611
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mwparserfromhell/compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import sys
+
+v = sys.version_info[0]
+
+if v >= 3:
+    bytes = bytes
+    str = str
+    basestring = (str, bytes)
+    import html.entities as htmlentitydefs
+else:
+    bytes = str
+    str = unicode
+    basestring = basestring
+    import htmlentitydefs
\ No newline at end of file