diff --git a/src/common/config.py b/src/common/config.py
index 23b997d47..3457992b5 100644
--- a/src/common/config.py
+++ b/src/common/config.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 ##
 
 
-import sre
+import re
 import copy
 import defs
 
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ class Config:
 		elif type[0] == 'string':
 			return self.is_valid_string(val)
 		else:
-			if sre.match(type[1], val):
+			if re.match(type[1], val):
 				return val
 			else:
 				return None
diff --git a/src/common/helpers.py b/src/common/helpers.py
index 5dc224ff2..7961cdfb3 100644
--- a/src/common/helpers.py
+++ b/src/common/helpers.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 ## GNU General Public License for more details.
 ##
 
-import sre
+import re
 import locale
 import os
 import subprocess
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def from_one_line(msg):
 	# to match the regexp that follows it
 
 	# So here match '\\n' but not if you have a '\' before that
-	re = sre.compile(r'(?<!\\)\\n')
+	re = re.compile(r'(?<!\\)\\n')
 	msg = re.sub('\n', msg)
 	msg = msg.replace('\\\\', '\\')
 	# s12 = 'test\\ntest\\\\ntest'
diff --git a/src/common/nslookup.py b/src/common/nslookup.py
index d6a0bd44d..484dc7f1d 100644
--- a/src/common/nslookup.py
+++ b/src/common/nslookup.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 import sys
 import os
-import sre
+import re
 
 from xmpp.idlequeue import *
 
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ elif os.name == 'posix':
 	import fcntl
 
 # it is good to check validity of arguments, when calling system commands
-ns_type_pattern = sre.compile('^[a-z]+$')
+ns_type_pattern = re.compile('^[a-z]+$')
 
 # match srv host_name
-host_pattern = sre.compile('^[a-z0-9\-._]*[a-z0-9]\.[a-z]{2,}$')
+host_pattern = re.compile('^[a-z0-9\-._]*[a-z0-9]\.[a-z]{2,}$')
 
 class Resolver:
 	def __init__(self, idlequeue):
diff --git a/src/gajim.py b/src/gajim.py
index a2e66fd5e..a26c17a7e 100755
--- a/src/gajim.py
+++ b/src/gajim.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ del path
 
 import gobject
 
-import sre
+import re
 import signal
 import getopt
 import time
@@ -1573,7 +1573,7 @@ class Interface:
 		basic_pattern = links + mail
 		if gajim.config.get('ascii_formatting'):
 			basic_pattern += formatting
-		self.basic_pattern_re = sre.compile(basic_pattern, sre.IGNORECASE)
+		self.basic_pattern_re = re.compile(basic_pattern, re.IGNORECASE)
 		
 		emoticons_pattern = ''
 		if gajim.config.get('emoticons_theme'):
@@ -1587,7 +1587,7 @@ class Interface:
 			emoticons_pattern_postmatch = ''
 			emoticon_length = 0
 			for emoticon in keys: # travel thru emoticons list
-				emoticon_escaped = sre.escape(emoticon) # espace regexp metachars
+				emoticon_escaped = re.escape(emoticon) # espace regexp metachars
 				emoticons_pattern += emoticon_escaped + '|'# | means or in regexp
 				if (emoticon_length != len(emoticon)):
 					# Build up expressions to match emoticons next to other emoticons
@@ -1607,12 +1607,12 @@ class Interface:
 		# because emoticons match later (in the string) they need to be after
 		# basic matches that may occur earlier
 		emot_and_basic_pattern = basic_pattern + emoticons_pattern
-		self.emot_and_basic_re = sre.compile(emot_and_basic_pattern, sre.IGNORECASE)
+		self.emot_and_basic_re = re.compile(emot_and_basic_pattern, re.IGNORECASE)
 		
 		# at least one character in 3 parts (before @, after @, after .)
-		self.sth_at_sth_dot_sth_re = sre.compile(r'\S+@\S+\.\S*[^\s)?]')
+		self.sth_at_sth_dot_sth_re = re.compile(r'\S+@\S+\.\S*[^\s)?]')
 		
-		sre.purge() # clear the regular expression cache
+		re.purge() # clear the regular expression cache
 
 	def on_emoticon_sort(self, emot1, emot2):
 		len1 = len(emot1)