diff --git a/whipper/command/cd.py b/whipper/command/cd.py
index 0ee9988..1fd8224 100644
--- a/whipper/command/cd.py
+++ b/whipper/command/cd.py
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ Log files will log the path to tracks relative to this directory.
             logger.debug('ripIfNotRipped: path %r' % path)
             trackResult.number = number
 
-            assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+            assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
             trackResult.filename = path
             if number > 0:
                 trackResult.pregap = self.itable.tracks[number - 1].getPregap()
diff --git a/whipper/command/main.py b/whipper/command/main.py
index b8e1bdd..4889fe9 100644
--- a/whipper/command/main.py
+++ b/whipper/command/main.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def main():
         ret = cmd.do()
     except SystemError as e:
         sys.stderr.write('whipper: error: %s\n' % e)
-        if (type(e) is common.EjectError and
+        if (isinstance(e, common.EjectError) and
                 cmd.options.eject in ('failure', 'always')):
             eject_device(e.device)
         return 255
diff --git a/whipper/common/common.py b/whipper/common/common.py
index cb288e7..c8aefd4 100644
--- a/whipper/common/common.py
+++ b/whipper/common/common.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ def getRealPath(refPath, filePath):
 
     @type  filePath: unicode
     """
-    assert type(filePath) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % filePath
+    assert isinstance(filePath, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % filePath
 
     if os.path.exists(filePath):
         return filePath
diff --git a/whipper/common/drive.py b/whipper/common/drive.py
index ccab884..ef5281c 100644
--- a/whipper/common/drive.py
+++ b/whipper/common/drive.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def _listify(listOrString):
-    if type(listOrString) == str:
+    if isinstance(listOrString, str):
         return [listOrString, ]
 
     return listOrString
diff --git a/whipper/common/program.py b/whipper/common/program.py
index d9a9839..abe3094 100644
--- a/whipper/common/program.py
+++ b/whipper/common/program.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class Program:
         tdict = {}
 
         # Ignore old cache, since we do not know what offset it used.
-        if type(ptable.object) is dict:
+        if isinstance(ptable.object, dict):
             tdict = ptable.object
 
             if offset in tdict:
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ class Program:
           - %x: audio extension, lowercase
           - %X: audio extension, uppercase
         """
-        assert type(outdir) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % outdir
-        assert type(template) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % template
+        assert isinstance(outdir, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % outdir
+        assert isinstance(template, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % template
         v = {}
         v['A'] = 'Unknown Artist'
         v['d'] = mbdiscid  # fallback for title
diff --git a/whipper/image/cue.py b/whipper/image/cue.py
index 0876006..f657c77 100644
--- a/whipper/image/cue.py
+++ b/whipper/image/cue.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class CueFile(object):
         """
         @type  path: unicode
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self._path = path
         self._rems = {}
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ class File:
         """
         @type  path: unicode
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self.path = path
         self.format = format
diff --git a/whipper/image/image.py b/whipper/image/image.py
index 9554961..be71127 100644
--- a/whipper/image/image.py
+++ b/whipper/image/image.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class Image(object):
         @type  path: unicode
         @param path: .cue path
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self._path = path
         self.cue = cue.CueFile(path)
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Image(object):
 
         @param path: .cue path
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         return self.cue.getRealPath(path)
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class ImageVerifyTask(task.MultiSeparateTask):
             htoa = cue.table.tracks[0].indexes[0]
             track = cue.table.tracks[0]
             path = image.getRealPath(htoa.path)
-            assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+            assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
             logger.debug('schedule scan of audio length of %r', path)
             taskk = AudioLengthTask(path)
             self.addTask(taskk)
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class ImageVerifyTask(task.MultiSeparateTask):
 
             if length == -1:
                 path = image.getRealPath(index.path)
-                assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+                assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
                 logger.debug('schedule scan of audio length of %r', path)
                 taskk = AudioLengthTask(path)
                 self.addTask(taskk)
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class ImageEncodeTask(task.MultiSeparateTask):
         def add(index):
 
             path = image.getRealPath(index.path)
-            assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+            assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
             logger.debug('schedule encode of %r', path)
             root, ext = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))
             outpath = os.path.join(outdir, root + '.' + 'flac')
diff --git a/whipper/image/table.py b/whipper/image/table.py
index dbc1856..c6938fd 100644
--- a/whipper/image/table.py
+++ b/whipper/image/table.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class Track:
         @type path:  unicode or None
         """
         if path is not None:
-            assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+            assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         i = Index(number, absolute, path, relative, counter)
         self.indexes[number] = i
@@ -107,13 +107,11 @@ class Track:
         Typically this is INDEX 01; but it could be INDEX 00 if there's
         a pre-gap.
         """
-        indexes = list(self.indexes.keys())
-        indexes.sort()
+        indexes = sorted(self.indexes.keys())
         return self.indexes[indexes[0]]
 
     def getLastIndex(self):
-        indexes = list(self.indexes.keys())
-        indexes.sort()
+        indexes = sorted(self.indexes.keys())
         return self.indexes[indexes[-1]]
 
     def getPregap(self):
@@ -145,7 +143,7 @@ class Index:
                  counter=None):
 
         if path is not None:
-            assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+            assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self.number = number
         self.absolute = absolute
@@ -543,8 +541,7 @@ class Table(object):
             if not track.audio:
                 continue
 
-            indexes = list(track.indexes.keys())
-            indexes.sort()
+            indexes = sorted(track.indexes.keys())
 
             wroteTrack = False
 
diff --git a/whipper/image/toc.py b/whipper/image/toc.py
index ee80bd6..f327b5c 100644
--- a/whipper/image/toc.py
+++ b/whipper/image/toc.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class TocFile(object):
         """
         @type  path: unicode
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
         self._path = path
         self._messages = []
         self.table = table.Table()
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ class File:
         @param start:  starting point for the track in this file, in frames
         @param length: length for the track in this file, in frames
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self.path = path
         self.start = start
diff --git a/whipper/program/cdparanoia.py b/whipper/program/cdparanoia.py
index e32706d..3163dc7 100644
--- a/whipper/program/cdparanoia.py
+++ b/whipper/program/cdparanoia.py
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ class ReadTrackTask(task.Task):
         @param what:   a string representing what's being read; e.g. Track
         @type  what:   str
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self.path = path
         self._table = table
diff --git a/whipper/program/soxi.py b/whipper/program/soxi.py
index 567b266..72f0caa 100644
--- a/whipper/program/soxi.py
+++ b/whipper/program/soxi.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class AudioLengthTask(ctask.PopenTask):
         """
         @type  path: unicode
         """
-        assert type(path) is unicode, "%r is not unicode" % path
+        assert isinstance(path, unicode), "%r is not unicode" % path
 
         self.logName = os.path.basename(path).encode('utf-8')
 
diff --git a/whipper/test/common.py b/whipper/test/common.py
index 4e9a43f..ad2c084 100644
--- a/whipper/test/common.py
+++ b/whipper/test/common.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def _diff(old, new, desc):
 
 def diffStrings(orig, new, desc='input'):
 
-    assert type(orig) == type(new), 'type %s and %s are different' % (
+    assert isinstance(orig, type(new)), 'type %s and %s are different' % (
         type(orig), type(new))
 
     def _tolines(s):