diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index b0c2a54cde27..2bd5972ceabd 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -869,7 +869,8 @@ def setReadOnlyAttr(self, obj, attr, val):
         fvp = swsscommon.FieldValuePairs([(attr, val)])
         key = "SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_SWITCH:" + swRid
 
-        ntf.send("set_ro", key, fvp)
+        # explicit convert unicode string to str for python2
+        ntf.send("set_ro", str(key), fvp)
 
     def create_acl_table(self, table, type, ports):
         tbl = swsscommon.Table(self.cdb, "ACL_TABLE")
diff --git a/tests/port_dpb.py b/tests/port_dpb.py
index 7688c3f67d67..6c3ddee3eac4 100644
--- a/tests/port_dpb.py
+++ b/tests/port_dpb.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 from swsscommon import swsscommon
-import redis
 import time
 import os
 import pytest
@@ -26,8 +25,7 @@ def __init__(self, dvs, name = None):
         self._app_db_ptbl = swsscommon.Table(self._app_db, swsscommon.APP_PORT_TABLE_NAME)
         self._asic_db = swsscommon.DBConnector(swsscommon.ASIC_DB, dvs.redis_sock, 0)
         self._asic_db_ptbl = swsscommon.Table(self._asic_db, "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_PORT")
-        self._counters_db = redis.Redis(unix_socket_path=self._dvs.redis_sock, db=swsscommon.COUNTERS_DB,
-                                        encoding="utf-8", decode_responses=True)
+        self._counters_db = dvs.get_counters_db()
         self._dvs_asic_db = dvs.get_asic_db()
 
     def set_name(self, name):
@@ -173,7 +171,11 @@ def exists_in_app_db(self):
         return status
 
     def sync_oid(self):
-        self._oid = self._counters_db.hget("COUNTERS_PORT_NAME_MAP", self.get_name())
+        fvs = dict(self._counters_db.get_entry("COUNTERS_PORT_NAME_MAP", ""))
+        try:
+            self._oid = fvs[self.get_name()]
+        except KeyError:
+            self._oid = None
 
     """
         Expectation of the caller is that the port does exist in ASIC DB.
diff --git a/tests/test_setro.py b/tests/test_setro.py
index ceebe9cfbe7c..50d66360049b 100644
--- a/tests/test_setro.py
+++ b/tests/test_setro.py
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ def test_SetReadOnlyAttribute(self, dvs, testlog):
 
         print(key)
 
-        ntf.send("set_ro", key, fvp)
+        # explicit convert unicode string to str for python2
+        ntf.send("set_ro", str(key), fvp)
 
         # make action on appdb so orchagent will get RO value
         # read asic db to see if orchagent behaved correctly
diff --git a/tests/test_watermark.py b/tests/test_watermark.py
index 5492944fd9ca..3a3133e03e33 100644
--- a/tests/test_watermark.py
+++ b/tests/test_watermark.py
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ def set_counter(self, dvs, obj_type, obj_id, attr, val):
         fvp = swsscommon.FieldValuePairs([(attr, val)])
         key = rid
 
-        ntf.send("set_stats", key, fvp)
+        # explicit convert unicode string to str for python2
+        ntf.send("set_stats", str(key), fvp)
 
     def populate_asic(self, dvs, obj_type, attr, val):