diff --git a/gluon/debug.py b/gluon/debug.py
index 92bce215..12db5a93 100644
--- a/gluon/debug.py
+++ b/gluon/debug.py
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ debugger = pdb.Pdb(completekey=None, stdin=pipe_in, stdout=pipe_out,)
 
 
 def set_trace():
-    "breakpoint shortcut (like pdb)"
+    """breakpoint shortcut (like pdb)"""
     logger.info("DEBUG: set_trace!")
     debugger.set_trace(sys._getframe().f_back)
 
 
 def stop_trace():
-    "stop waiting for the debugger (called atexit)"
+    """stop waiting for the debugger (called atexit)"""
     # this should prevent communicate is wait forever a command result
     # and the main thread has finished
     logger.info("DEBUG: stop_trace!")
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def stop_trace():
 
 
 def communicate(command=None):
-    "send command to debbuger, wait result"
+    """send command to debbuger, wait result"""
     if command is not None:
         logger.info("DEBUG: sending command %s" % command)
         pipe_in.write(command)
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ run_lock = RLock()
 
 
 def check_interaction(fn):
-    "Decorator to clean and prevent interaction when not available"
+    """Decorator to clean and prevent interaction when not available"""
     def check_fn(self, *args, **kwargs):
         interact_lock.acquire()
         try:
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def check_interaction(fn):
 
 
 class WebDebugger(qdb.Frontend):
-    "Qdb web2py interface"
+    """Qdb web2py interface"""
 
     def __init__(self, pipe, completekey='tab', stdin=None, stdout=None):
         qdb.Frontend.__init__(self, pipe)
diff --git a/gluon/fileutils.py b/gluon/fileutils.py
index 6c26726a..1eda8553 100644
--- a/gluon/fileutils.py
+++ b/gluon/fileutils.py
@@ -65,9 +65,10 @@ def parse_semantic(version="Version 1.99.0-rc.1+timestamp.2011.09.19.08.23.26"):
     pre_release = m.group('pre') or ''
     build = m.group('build') or ''
     if build.startswith('timestamp'):
-        build = datetime.datetime.strptime(build.split('.',1)[1], '%Y.%m.%d.%H.%M.%S')
+        build = datetime.datetime.strptime(build.split('.', 1)[1], '%Y.%m.%d.%H.%M.%S')
     return (a, b, c, pre_release, build)
 
+
 def parse_legacy(version="Version 1.99.0 (2011-09-19 08:23:26)"):
     """Parses "legacy" version string
 
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ def parse_legacy(version="Version 1.99.0 (2011-09-19 08:23:26)"):
     build = datetime.datetime.strptime(m.group('datetime'), '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
     return (a, b, c, pre_release, build)
 
+
 def parse_version(version):
     """Attempts to parse SemVer, fallbacks on legacy
     """
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@ def parse_version(version):
         version_tuple = parse_legacy(version)
     return version_tuple
 
+
 def read_file(filename, mode='r'):
     """Returns content from filename, making sure to close the file explicitly
     on exit.
@@ -130,14 +133,13 @@ def mktree(path):
             os.mkdir(head)
 
 
-def listdir(
-    path,
-    expression='^.+$',
-    drop=True,
-    add_dirs=False,
-    sort=True,
-    maxnum = None,
-):
+def listdir(path,
+            expression='^.+$',
+            drop=True,
+            add_dirs=False,
+            sort=True,
+            maxnum=None,
+            ):
     """
     Like `os.listdir()` but you can specify a regex pattern to filter files.
     If `add_dirs` is True, the returned items will have the full path.
@@ -212,6 +214,7 @@ def tar(file, dir, expression='^.+$', filenames=None):
     finally:
         tar.close()
 
+
 def untar(file, dir):
     """Untar file into dir
     """
@@ -242,6 +245,7 @@ def w2p_pack(filename, path, compiled=False, filenames=None):
     tarfp.close()
     os.unlink(tarname)
 
+
 def create_welcome_w2p():
     if not os.path.exists('welcome.w2p') or os.path.exists('NEWINSTALL'):
         try:
@@ -254,7 +258,7 @@ def create_welcome_w2p():
 
 def w2p_unpack(filename, path, delete_tar=True):
 
-    if filename=='welcome.w2p':
+    if filename == 'welcome.w2p':
         create_welcome_w2p()
     filename = abspath(filename)
     path = abspath(path)
@@ -352,6 +356,7 @@ def get_session(request, other_application='admin'):
         osession = storage.Storage()
     return osession
 
+
 def set_session(request, session, other_application='admin'):
     """Checks that user is authorized to access other_application"""
     if request.application == other_application:
@@ -359,7 +364,8 @@ def set_session(request, session, other_application='admin'):
     session_id = request.cookies['session_id_' + other_application].value
     session_filename = os.path.join(
         up(request.folder), other_application, 'sessions', session_id)
-    storage.save_storage(session,session_filename)
+    storage.save_storage(session, session_filename)
+
 
 def check_credentials(request, other_application='admin',
                       expiration=60 * 60, gae_login=True):
@@ -381,7 +387,7 @@ def check_credentials(request, other_application='admin',
         r = (s.authorized and s.last_time and s.last_time > dt)
         if r:
             s.last_time = t0
-            set_session(request,s,other_application)
+            set_session(request, s, other_application)
         return r
 
 
@@ -434,7 +440,7 @@ def make_fake_file_like_object():
 
 
 from settings import global_settings  # we need to import settings here because
-                                     # settings imports fileutils too
+                                      # settings imports fileutils too
 
 
 def abspath(*relpath, **base):