diff --git a/meld/build_helpers.py b/meld/build_helpers.py
index ed87583499ef3dacf6caad3228d620c168b1c336..d3ef58a83894116319b59e4006e0ed5547ec9172 100644
--- a/meld/build_helpers.py
+++ b/meld/build_helpers.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class MeldDistribution(distutils.dist.Distribution):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.no_update_icon_cache = False
         self.no_compile_schemas = False
-        distutils.dist.Distribution.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
 class build_data(distutils.cmd.Command):
diff --git a/meld/diffgrid.py b/meld/diffgrid.py
index 22c8e56099ba1a70d360496a11bf9790fc230f42..1d05f8a9212c5663b59eba5bf56f50aeb41ea2b4 100644
--- a/meld/diffgrid.py
+++ b/meld/diffgrid.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class DiffGrid(Gtk.Grid):
     __gtype_name__ = "DiffGrid"
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Gtk.Grid.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self._in_drag = False
         self._drag_pos = -1
         self._drag_handle = None
diff --git a/meld/diffmap.py b/meld/diffmap.py
index a1ddd37f3073bbbdfb397b8cfa8672531bb00ac0..e70f2cad940b2922d2dd9b92ceb27dac784b7522 100644
--- a/meld/diffmap.py
+++ b/meld/diffmap.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class DiffMap(Gtk.DrawingArea):
     __gtype_name__ = "DiffMap"
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Gtk.DrawingArea.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.add_events(Gdk.EventMask.BUTTON_PRESS_MASK)
         self._last_allocation = None
         self._scrolladj = None
diff --git a/meld/dirdiff.py b/meld/dirdiff.py
index 286171c1f2cee1ec088b70e2874c1692e6cdeb7f..c14e42df9a18797e3d5ad79f8d904f19bd6348ce 100644
--- a/meld/dirdiff.py
+++ b/meld/dirdiff.py
@@ -206,8 +206,7 @@ COL_EMBLEM, COL_EMBLEM_SECONDARY, COL_SIZE, COL_TIME, COL_PERMS, COL_END = \
 
 class DirDiffTreeStore(tree.DiffTreeStore):
     def __init__(self, ntree):
-        tree.DiffTreeStore.__init__(
-            self, ntree, [str, str, object, object, object])
+        super().__init__(ntree, [str, str, object, object, object])
 
 
 class CanonicalListing:
diff --git a/meld/filemerge.py b/meld/filemerge.py
index 9f02f4bb3b3882e4e2d5768b96740dde0d30a8f3..861d9cc851aa1b0441fa3efd8c510a6adf4448d1 100644
--- a/meld/filemerge.py
+++ b/meld/filemerge.py
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ class FileMerge(FileDiff):
     differ = merge.AutoMergeDiffer
 
     def _connect_buffer_handlers(self):
-        FileDiff._connect_buffer_handlers(self)
+        super()._connect_buffer_handlers()
         self.textview[0].set_editable(0)
         self.textview[2].set_editable(0)
 
     def get_comparison(self):
-        comp = FileDiff.get_comparison(self)
+        comp = super().get_comparison()
         return RecentType.Merge, comp[1]
 
     def _merge_files(self):
diff --git a/meld/matchers/diffutil.py b/meld/matchers/diffutil.py
index 2b20fa842cc11087137fa890f6ba9f329102a058..de5dde069743d14142c7885d45bc1e8638b484cb 100644
--- a/meld/matchers/diffutil.py
+++ b/meld/matchers/diffutil.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class Differ(GObject.GObject):
 
     def __init__(self):
         # Internally, diffs are stored from text1 -> text0 and text1 -> text2.
-        GObject.GObject.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.num_sequences = 0
         self.seqlength = [0, 0, 0]
         self.diffs = [[], []]
diff --git a/meld/matchers/merge.py b/meld/matchers/merge.py
index 7760fb9fbf6960be5186d1e986a59faed3309900..d456a48e6ff75196b86602805b33051dfc08d248 100644
--- a/meld/matchers/merge.py
+++ b/meld/matchers/merge.py
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ class AutoMergeDiffer(diffutil.Differ):
     # _matcher = PatienceSequenceMatcher
 
     def __init__(self):
-        diffutil.Differ.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.auto_merge = False
         self.unresolved = []
 
     def _auto_merge(self, using, texts):
-        for out0, out1 in diffutil.Differ._auto_merge(self, using, texts):
+        for out0, out1 in super()._auto_merge(using, texts):
             if self.auto_merge and out0[0] == 'conflict':
                 # we will try to resolve more complex conflicts automatically
                 # here... if possible
@@ -195,8 +195,7 @@ class AutoMergeDiffer(diffutil.Differ):
                     ]
                 self.unresolved[lo:hi] = []
 
-        return diffutil.Differ.change_sequence(
-            self, sequence, startidx, sizechange, texts)
+        return super().change_sequence(sequence, startidx, sizechange, texts)
 
     def get_unresolved_count(self):
         return len(self.unresolved)
diff --git a/meld/matchers/myers.py b/meld/matchers/myers.py
index a5f06256d6d3c20ed3693661a5438a0e386250a8..b00aa358bb31773a081e938736b1322884882f18 100644
--- a/meld/matchers/myers.py
+++ b/meld/matchers/myers.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class MyersSequenceMatcher(difflib.SequenceMatcher):
         return self.matching_blocks
 
     def get_opcodes(self):
-        opcodes = difflib.SequenceMatcher.get_opcodes(self)
+        opcodes = super().get_opcodes()
         return [DiffChunk._make(chunk) for chunk in opcodes]
 
     def get_difference_opcodes(self):
@@ -349,13 +349,13 @@ class InlineMyersSequenceMatcher(MyersSequenceMatcher):
 class SyncPointMyersSequenceMatcher(MyersSequenceMatcher):
 
     def __init__(self, isjunk=None, a="", b="", syncpoints=None):
-        MyersSequenceMatcher.__init__(self, isjunk, a, b)
+        super().__init__(isjunk, a, b)
         self.isjunk = isjunk
         self.syncpoints = syncpoints
 
     def initialise(self):
         if self.syncpoints is None or len(self.syncpoints) == 0:
-            for i in MyersSequenceMatcher.initialise(self):
+            for i in super().initialise():
                 yield i
         else:
             chunks = []
diff --git a/meld/meldapp.py b/meld/meldapp.py
index 75bcc209890d7ac6304ac46dd5c6ab9f9f855888..a997c2f77a7dff40fc4bec06adf923bf344ffa2b 100644
--- a/meld/meldapp.py
+++ b/meld/meldapp.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ optparse._ = _
 class MeldApp(Gtk.Application):
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Gtk.Application.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.set_flags(Gio.ApplicationFlags.HANDLES_COMMAND_LINE)
         self.set_application_id("org.gnome.meld")
         GLib.set_application_name("Meld")
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class MeldApp(Gtk.Application):
                 self.should_exit = False
                 self.output = io.StringIO()
                 self.exit_status = 0
-                optparse.OptionParser.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+                super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
             def exit(self, status=0, msg=None):
                 self.should_exit = True
diff --git a/meld/meldbuffer.py b/meld/meldbuffer.py
index 1f483ccd2b79896157e2ecbd1afccd45ba71f8e8..35e8f4f903927cc6fa0c9b5a8f47ab89386afa3a 100644
--- a/meld/meldbuffer.py
+++ b/meld/meldbuffer.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class MeldBuffer(GtkSource.Buffer):
     )
 
     def __init__(self):
-        GtkSource.Buffer.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         bind_settings(self)
         self.data = MeldBufferData()
         self.undo_sequence = None
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class MeldBufferData(GObject.GObject):
     )
 
     def __init__(self):
-        GObject.GObject.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self._gfile = None
         self._label = None
         self._monitor = None
diff --git a/meld/melddoc.py b/meld/melddoc.py
index 1155f82689c9f336a153003cb88a06f673942435..5c8d7a72e7dc510e365f712a4e98c8b71db4356e 100644
--- a/meld/melddoc.py
+++ b/meld/melddoc.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class MeldDoc(LabeledObjectMixin, GObject.GObject):
     }
 
     def __init__(self):
-        GObject.GObject.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.scheduler = FifoScheduler()
         self.num_panes = 0
         self.main_actiongroup = None
diff --git a/meld/meldwindow.py b/meld/meldwindow.py
index dbfbc096b65e08db3f40806c1a49ab1b34c3ec22..4d66a281c0ed1077e400417b4ebb467059ee6575 100644
--- a/meld/meldwindow.py
+++ b/meld/meldwindow.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ from meld.windowstate import SavedWindowState
 class MeldWindow(Component):
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Component.__init__(self, "meldapp.ui", "meldapp")
+        super().__init__("meldapp.ui", "meldapp")
         self.widget.set_name("meldapp")
 
         actions = (
diff --git a/meld/preferences.py b/meld/preferences.py
index 850f3ee22b23b847421c8d035314c6520f13dabc..d5f5ba80584dd06116ddcb303823ab8ae3f40a1e 100644
--- a/meld/preferences.py
+++ b/meld/preferences.py
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ class FilterList(ListWidget):
 
     def __init__(self, key, filter_type):
         default_entry = [_("label"), False, _("pattern"), True]
-        ListWidget.__init__(
-            self, "EditableList.ui", "list_vbox", ["EditableListStore"],
+        super().__init__(
+            "EditableList.ui", "list_vbox", ["EditableListStore"],
             "EditableList", default_entry)
         self.key = key
         self.filter_type = filter_type
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class ColumnList(ListWidget):
     }
 
     def __init__(self, key):
-        ListWidget.__init__(
-            self, "EditableList.ui", "columns_ta", ["ColumnsListStore"],
+        super().__init__(
+            "EditableList.ui", "columns_ta", ["ColumnsListStore"],
             "columns_treeview")
         self.key = key
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class ColumnList(ListWidget):
 class GSettingsComboBox(Gtk.ComboBox):
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Gtk.ComboBox.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.connect('notify::gsettings-value', self._setting_changed)
         self.connect('notify::active', self._active_changed)
 
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ class GSettingsStringComboBox(GSettingsComboBox):
 class PreferencesDialog(Component):
 
     def __init__(self, parent):
-        Component.__init__(
-            self, "preferences.ui", "preferencesdialog", [
+        super().__init__(
+            "preferences.ui", "preferencesdialog", [
                 "adjustment1", "adjustment2", "fileorderstore",
                 "sizegroup_editor", "timestampstore", "mergeorderstore",
                 "sizegroup_file_order_labels", "sizegroup_file_order_combos",
diff --git a/meld/settings.py b/meld/settings.py
index d7860ceff8b1e488fcfaf1d5c935a0bedb9dd88c..3d389b7045b1d1e52e94a77a217f37008d7f7524 100644
--- a/meld/settings.py
+++ b/meld/settings.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class MeldSettings(GObject.GObject):
     }
 
     def __init__(self):
-        GObject.GObject.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
         self.on_setting_changed(settings, 'filename-filters')
         self.on_setting_changed(settings, 'text-filters')
         self.on_setting_changed(settings, 'use-system-font')
diff --git a/meld/tree.py b/meld/tree.py
index 8d76c893209c7cc26e32211b4f4d859f71809bbb..36b73e7ba891a492d86caef720a54f41facf70a8 100644
--- a/meld/tree.py
+++ b/meld/tree.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import os
 
 from gi.repository import Gdk
 from gi.repository import GLib
-from gi.repository import Gtk
 from gi.repository import Pango
 
 from meld.misc import colour_lookup_with_fallback
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ class DiffTreeStore(SearchableTreeStore):
         full_types = []
         for col_type in (COL_TYPES + tuple(types)):
             full_types.extend([col_type] * ntree)
-        Gtk.TreeStore.__init__(self, *full_types)
+        super().__init__(*full_types)
         self.ntree = ntree
         self._setup_default_styles()
 
diff --git a/meld/ui/filechooser.py b/meld/ui/filechooser.py
index 861a2b0d72555cdc27bc27fa5839f7e645f24045..6fcc1501bcf0da4706e37062a5fbf9db3616166e 100644
--- a/meld/ui/filechooser.py
+++ b/meld/ui/filechooser.py
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ class MeldFileChooserDialog(Gtk.FileChooserDialog):
     def __init__(
             self, title=None, transient_for=None,
             action=Gtk.FileChooserAction.OPEN):
-        Gtk.FileChooserDialog.__init__(
-          self, title=title, transient_for=transient_for, action=action)
+        super().__init__(
+          title=title, transient_for=transient_for, action=action)
 
         self.add_button(Gtk.STOCK_CANCEL, Gtk.ResponseType.CANCEL)
         if action == Gtk.FileChooserAction.SAVE:
diff --git a/meld/ui/findbar.py b/meld/ui/findbar.py
index aa67c6ad3391c77a6950c6fd14de486f5987031c..cf9a606ad080a7963c88e6fcfa1685a49e680ab7 100644
--- a/meld/ui/findbar.py
+++ b/meld/ui/findbar.py
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ from meld.ui import gnomeglade
 
 class FindBar(gnomeglade.Component):
     def __init__(self, parent):
-        gnomeglade.Component.__init__(self, "findbar.ui", "findbar",
-                                      ["arrow_left", "arrow_right"])
+        super().__init__("findbar.ui", "findbar",
+                         ["arrow_left", "arrow_right"])
         self.set_text_view(None)
         self.arrow_left.show()
         self.arrow_right.show()
diff --git a/meld/ui/listwidget.py b/meld/ui/listwidget.py
index f8f063474813059ca62d36c2cecbdfbddc02bab3..efd3a5c98adc08ab9db377a1e6846262b40f14f2 100644
--- a/meld/ui/listwidget.py
+++ b/meld/ui/listwidget.py
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ from . import gnomeglade
 class ListWidget(gnomeglade.Component):
 
     def __init__(self, ui_file, widget, store, treeview, new_row_data=None):
-        gnomeglade.Component.__init__(self, ui_file,
-                                      widget, store)
+        super().__init__(ui_file, widget, store)
         self.new_row_data = new_row_data
         self.list = getattr(self, treeview)
         self.model = self.list.get_model()
diff --git a/meld/ui/notebook.py b/meld/ui/notebook.py
index eaa21748d4e36418b5b00f061e203183a749dfce..343cbe98089e20ffa20489c0aca93a5325817983 100644
--- a/meld/ui/notebook.py
+++ b/meld/ui/notebook.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class MeldNotebook(Gtk.Notebook):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        Gtk.Notebook.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
         self.action_group = Gio.SimpleActionGroup()
 
diff --git a/meld/ui/notebooklabel.py b/meld/ui/notebooklabel.py
index 9d1099b7c85f071ade8f2d832479eb79c9e8708a..5d36e22fa4267518c9cd942289be65612f3d6621 100644
--- a/meld/ui/notebooklabel.py
+++ b/meld/ui/notebooklabel.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class NotebookLabel(Gtk.HBox):
     tab_width_in_chars = 30
 
     def __init__(self, iconname, text, onclose):
-        Gtk.HBox.__init__(self, homogeneous=False, spacing=4)
+        super().__init__(homogeneous=False, spacing=4)
 
         label = Gtk.Label(label=text)
         # FIXME: ideally, we would use custom ellipsization that ellipsized the
diff --git a/meld/ui/statusbar.py b/meld/ui/statusbar.py
index 0cd06d23eb0e402050a7fd62186cebfd46aeefd4..fac49aeaaf9e607d817f755193c37bc61b9512c9 100644
--- a/meld/ui/statusbar.py
+++ b/meld/ui/statusbar.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class MeldStatusMenuButton(Gtk.MenuButton):
     )
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Gtk.MenuButton.__init__(self)
+        super().__init__()
 
         style_context = self.get_style_context()
         style_context.add_provider(
diff --git a/meld/ui/vcdialogs.py b/meld/ui/vcdialogs.py
index 60499823ac3bfbf4c3aa1f21e3b281111801c793..74e4edc332ec383a67611f207c19eb0fb5feb114 100644
--- a/meld/ui/vcdialogs.py
+++ b/meld/ui/vcdialogs.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class CommitDialog(GObject.GObject, Component):
 class PushDialog(Component):
 
     def __init__(self, parent):
-        Component.__init__(self, "vcview.ui", "pushdialog")
+        super().__init__("vcview.ui", "pushdialog")
         self.widget.set_transient_for(parent.widget.get_toplevel())
         self.widget.show_all()
 
diff --git a/meld/vcview.py b/meld/vcview.py
index 68aef8045e0fb267f85d02a1e71da104105d1a02..6e2bd5afe7fd95219bee9903c269b1eaa46e08cd 100644
--- a/meld/vcview.py
+++ b/meld/vcview.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ COL_LOCATION, COL_STATUS, COL_OPTIONS, COL_END = \
 
 class VcTreeStore(tree.DiffTreeStore):
     def __init__(self):
-        tree.DiffTreeStore.__init__(self, 1, [str] * 5)
+        super().__init__(1, [str] * 5)
 
     def get_file_path(self, it):
         return self.get_value(it, self.column_index(tree.COL_PATH, 0))