diff --git a/gyp/pylib/gyp/generator/cmake.py b/gyp/pylib/gyp/generator/cmake.py
index 996b6f25fd..5601a6657e 100644
--- a/gyp/pylib/gyp/generator/cmake.py
+++ b/gyp/pylib/gyp/generator/cmake.py
@@ -239,7 +239,10 @@ def StringToCMakeTargetName(a):
   Invalid for make: ':'
   Invalid for unknown reasons but cause failures: '.'
   """
-  return a.translate(string.maketrans(' /():."', '_______'))
+  try:
+      return a.translate(str.maketrans(' /():."', '_______'))
+  except AttributeError:
+      return a.translate(string.maketrans(' /():."', '_______'))
 
 
 def WriteActions(target_name, actions, extra_sources, extra_deps,