diff --git a/python/smqtk/algorithms/descriptor_generator/caffe_descriptor.py b/python/smqtk/algorithms/descriptor_generator/caffe_descriptor.py
index 48d68e4dc..2ab64c39d 100644
--- a/python/smqtk/algorithms/descriptor_generator/caffe_descriptor.py
+++ b/python/smqtk/algorithms/descriptor_generator/caffe_descriptor.py
@@ -181,11 +181,9 @@ def _setup_network(self):
         #   - ``caffe.TEST`` indicates phase of either TRAIN or TEST
         self._log.debug("Initializing network")
         self._log.debug("Loading Caffe network from network/model configs")
-        self.network = caffe.Net(self.network_prototxt.write_temp(),
+        self.network = caffe.Net(self.network_prototxt,
                                  caffe.TEST,
-                                 weights=self.network_model.write_temp())
-        self.network_prototxt.clean_temp()
-        self.network_model.clean_temp()
+                                 weights=self.network_model)
         # Assuming the network has a 'data' layer and notion of data shape
         self.net_data_shape = self.network.blobs[self.data_layer].data.shape
         self._log.debug("Network data shape: %s", self.net_data_shape)
@@ -201,7 +199,7 @@ def _setup_network(self):
         if self.image_mean is not None:
             self._log.debug("Loading image mean (reducing to single pixel "
                             "mean)")
-            image_mean_bytes = self.image_mean.get_bytes()
+            image_mean_bytes = open(self.image_mean, "rb").read()
             try:
                 a = numpy.load(io.BytesIO(image_mean_bytes))
                 self._log.info("Loaded image mean from numpy bytes")
diff --git a/python/smqtk/web/search_app/modules/file_upload/FileUploadMod.py b/python/smqtk/web/search_app/modules/file_upload/FileUploadMod.py
index a0fb7ee65..accf69fe4 100644
--- a/python/smqtk/web/search_app/modules/file_upload/FileUploadMod.py
+++ b/python/smqtk/web/search_app/modules/file_upload/FileUploadMod.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import os
 import tempfile
 
-from six.moves import cStringIO as StringIO
+from six import BytesIO
 
 from smqtk.utils import SmqtkObject
 from smqtk.utils.file import safe_create_dir
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, parent_app, working_directory, url_prefix=None):
         #   Top level key is the file ID of the upload. The dictionary
         #   underneath that is the index ID'd chunks. When all chunks are
         #   present, the file is written and the entry in this map is removed.
-        #: :type: dict of (str, dict of (int, StringIO))
+        #: :type: dict of (str, dict of (int, BytesIO))
         self._file_chunks = {}
         # Lock per file ID so as to not collide when uploading multiple chunks
         #: :type: dict of (str, RLock)
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def upload_file():
                 # - Need to explicitly copy the buffered data as the file object
                 #   closes between chunk messages.
                 self._file_chunks.setdefault(fid, {})[current_chunk] \
-                    = StringIO(chunk_data.read())
+                    = BytesIO(chunk_data.read())
                 message = "Uploaded chunk #%d of %d for file '%s'" \
                     % (current_chunk, total_chunks, filename)
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ def _write_file_chunks(self, chunk_map, file_extension=''):
         Returned file path should be manually removed by the user.
 
         :param chunk_map: Mapping of integer index to file-like chunk
-        :type chunk_map: dict of (int, StringIO)
+        :type chunk_map: dict of (int, BytesIO)
         :param file_extension: String extension to suffix the temporary file
             with
         :type file_extension: str