diff --git a/src/utils/gen.py b/src/utils/gen.py
index b978bab52..b82976395 100644
--- a/src/utils/gen.py
+++ b/src/utils/gen.py
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
 
 import os
 import sys
+import ast
 import time
 import types
-import compiler
 import textwrap
 import traceback
 import collections
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ from itertools import imap
 
 from str import format
 from file import mktemp
-from iter import all
 
 import crypt
 
@@ -150,32 +149,36 @@ def saltHash(password, salt=None, hash='sha'):
         hasher = crypt.md5
     return '|'.join([salt, hasher((salt + password).encode('utf8')).hexdigest()])
 
+_astStr2 = ast.Str if sys.version_info[0] < 3 else ast.Bytes
 def safeEval(s, namespace={'True': True, 'False': False, 'None': None}):
     """Evaluates s, safely.  Useful for turning strings into tuples/lists/etc.
     without unsafely using eval()."""
     try:
-        node = compiler.parse(s)
+        node = ast.parse(s)
     except SyntaxError, e:
         raise ValueError, 'Invalid string: %s.' % e
-    nodes = compiler.parse(s).node.nodes
+    nodes = ast.parse(s).body
     if not nodes:
-        if node.__class__ is compiler.ast.Module:
+        if node.__class__ is ast.Module:
             return node.doc
         else:
             raise ValueError, format('Unsafe string: %q', s)
     node = nodes[0]
-    if node.__class__ is not compiler.ast.Discard:
-        raise ValueError, format('Invalid expression: %q', s)
-    node = node.getChildNodes()[0]
     def checkNode(node):
-        if node.__class__ is compiler.ast.Const:
+        if node.__class__ is ast.Expr:
+            node = node.value
+        if node.__class__ in (ast.Num,
+                              ast.Str,
+                              _astStr2):
             return True
-        if node.__class__ in (compiler.ast.List,
-                              compiler.ast.Tuple,
-                              compiler.ast.Dict):
-            return all(checkNode, node.getChildNodes())
-        if node.__class__ is compiler.ast.Name:
-            if node.name in namespace:
+        elif node.__class__ in (ast.List,
+                              ast.Tuple):
+            return all([checkNode(x) for x in node.elts])
+        elif node.__class__ is ast.Dict:
+            return all([checkNode(x) for x in node.values]) and \
+                    all([checkNode(x) for x in node.values])
+        elif node.__class__ is ast.Name:
+            if node.id in namespace:
                 return True
             else:
                 return False