diff --git a/django_hashedfilenamestorage/storage.py b/django_hashedfilenamestorage/storage.py
index a2ec4ea..a8560d8 100644
--- a/django_hashedfilenamestorage/storage.py
+++ b/django_hashedfilenamestorage/storage.py
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 
 from django.core.files import File
 from django.core.files.storage import FileSystemStorage
-from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 
+encoding = importlib.import_module('django.utils.encoding')
+globals().setdefault('force_text', getattr(encoding, 'force_str', 'force_text'))
+
 
 def HashedFilenameMetaStorage(storage_class):
     class HashedFilenameStorage(storage_class):