diff --git a/spacewalk-abrt.spec b/spacewalk-abrt.spec
index 951caa0794..83de6a7954 100644
--- a/spacewalk-abrt.spec
+++ b/spacewalk-abrt.spec
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 Name:           spacewalk-abrt
 Version:        2.8.3
-Release:        4%{?dist}
+Release:        5%{?dist}
 Summary:        ABRT plug-in for rhn-check
 
 License:        GPLv2
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ service abrtd restart
 %endif
 
 %changelog
+* Fri Nov 02 2018 Tomas Kasparek <tkasparek@redhat.com> 2.8.3-5
+- Resolves: #1623111 - use base64.encodebytes if possible
+  (tkasparek@redhat.com)
+
 * Tue Mar 20 2018 Tomas Kasparek <tkasparek@redhat.com> 2.8.3-4
 - don't build python2 subpackages on systems with default python3
   (tkasparek@redhat.com)
diff --git a/src/spacewalk_abrt/abrt.py b/src/spacewalk_abrt/abrt.py
index d1093a0209..283dea46af 100644
--- a/src/spacewalk_abrt/abrt.py
+++ b/src/spacewalk_abrt/abrt.py
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ from up2date_client import up2dateAuth
 from up2date_client import rhnserver
 from up2date_client import up2dateLog
 
+encodestring = base64.encodestring
+if hasattr(base64, 'encodebytes'):
+    encodestring = base64.encodebytes
 
 def _readline(filepath):
     firstline = None
@@ -114,12 +117,12 @@ def report(problem_dir):
         crash_file_data = {'filename': os.path.basename(i),
                            'path': path,
                            'filesize': filesize,
-                           'filecontent': base64.encodestring(bstr("")),
+                           'filecontent': encodestring(bstr("")),
                            'content-encoding': 'base64'}
         if server.abrt.is_crashfile_upload_enabled(systemid) and filesize <= server.abrt.get_crashfile_uploadlimit(systemid):
             f = open(path, 'r')
             try:
-                crash_file_data['filecontent'] = base64.encodestring(bstr(f.read()))
+                crash_file_data['filecontent'] = encodestring(bstr(f.read()))
             finally:
                 f.close()