diff --git a/scripts/bootstrap_history.py b/scripts/bootstrap_history.py
index 216595bc6ff..4440138f7b8 100644
--- a/scripts/bootstrap_history.py
+++ b/scripts/bootstrap_history.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import calendar
 import datetime
 import json
+import logging
 import os
 import re
 import string
@@ -18,12 +19,14 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     requests = None
 try:
-    from pygithub3 import Github
+    from github import Github
 except ImportError:
     Github = None
 from six import string_types
 from six.moves.urllib.parse import urljoin
 
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 PROJECT_DIRECTORY = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.pardir)
 GALAXY_VERSION_FILE = os.path.join(PROJECT_DIRECTORY, "lib", "galaxy", "version.py")
 PROJECT_OWNER = "galaxyproject"
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ DEVTEAM = [
     "tnabtaf", "natefoo", "jgoecks",
     "guerler", "jennaj", "nekrut", "jxtx",
     "VJalili", "WilliamHolden", "Nerdinacan",
-    "ic4f",
+    "ic4f", "mvdbeek"
 ]
 
 TEMPLATE = """
@@ -350,7 +353,7 @@ def do_release(argv):
     template = template.replace(".. enhancement", "%s\n\n.. enhancement" % enhancement_targets)
     template = template.replace(".. bug", "%s\n\n.. bug" % bug_targets)
     release_info = string.Template(template).safe_substitute(release=release_name)
-    open(release_file, "w").write(release_info.encode("utf-8"))
+    open(release_file, "w").write(release_info)
     month = int(release_name.split(".")[1])
     month_name = calendar.month_name[month]
     year = release_name.split(".")[0]
@@ -379,7 +382,7 @@ def do_release(argv):
     next_release_file = _release_file(next_version + "_announce.rst")
 
     next_announce = NEXT_TEMPLATE.substitute(**next_version_params)
-    open(next_release_file, "w").write(next_announce.encode("utf-8"))
+    open(next_release_file, "w").write(next_announce)
     releases_index = _release_file("index.rst")
     releases_index_contents = _read_file(releases_index)
     releases_index_contents = releases_index_contents.replace(".. announcements\n", ".. announcements\n   " + next_version + "_announce\n")
@@ -471,29 +474,30 @@ def _release_dates(version):
     return freeze_date, release_date
 
 
-def _get_prs(release_name, state="closed"):
+def _get_prs(release_name, state="closed", pr_cache=[]):
     github = _github_client()
-    pull_requests = github.pull_requests.list(
+    repo = github.get_repo("%s/%s" % (PROJECT_OWNER, PROJECT_NAME))
+    add_to_cache = not pr_cache
+    pull_requests = pr_cache or repo.get_pulls(
         state=state,
-        user=PROJECT_OWNER,
-        repo=PROJECT_NAME,
     )
     reached_old_prs = False
 
-    for page in pull_requests:
+    for pr in pull_requests:
         if reached_old_prs:
             break
 
-        for pr in page:
-            if pr.created_at < datetime.datetime(2016, 11, 1, 0, 0):
-                reached_old_prs = True
-                pass
-            merged_at = pr.merged_at
-            milestone = pr.milestone
-            proper_state = state != "closed" or merged_at
-            if not proper_state or not milestone or milestone['title'] != release_name:
-                continue
-            yield pr
+        if pr.created_at < datetime.datetime(2018, 11, 1, 0, 0):
+            reached_old_prs = True
+            pass
+        merged_at = pr.merged_at
+        milestone = pr.milestone
+        proper_state = state != "closed" or merged_at
+        if not proper_state or not milestone or milestone.title != release_name:
+            continue
+        if add_to_cache:
+            pr_cache.append(pr)
+        yield pr
 
 
 def main(argv):
@@ -585,8 +589,8 @@ def main(argv):
     owner = None
     if ident.startswith("pr"):
         pull_request = ident[len("pr"):]
-        user = req["head"]["user"]
-        owner = user["login"]
+        user = req["head"].user
+        owner = user.login
         if owner in DEVTEAM:
             owner = None
         text = ".. _Pull Request {0}: {1}/pull/{0}".format(pull_request, PROJECT_URL)
@@ -615,7 +619,7 @@ def main(argv):
     to_doc = wrap(to_doc)
     if text_target is not None:
         history = extend_target(text_target, to_doc, history)
-    if req and 'labels' in req:
+    if req and req['labels']:
         labels = req['labels']
         if 'area/datatypes' in labels:
             user_announce = extend_target("datatypes", to_doc, user_announce)
@@ -630,12 +634,12 @@ def main(argv):
 
 def _read_file(path):
     with open(path, "r") as f:
-        return f.read().decode("utf-8")
+        return f.read()
 
 
 def _write_file(path, contents):
     with open(path, "w") as f:
-        f.write(contents.encode("utf-8"))
+        f.write(contents)
 
 
 def _text_target(github, pull_request, labels=None):
@@ -713,7 +717,7 @@ def _text_target(github, pull_request, labels=None):
 
 
 def _pr_to_labels(pr):
-    labels = [l["name"].lower() for l in pr.labels]
+    labels = [l.name.lower() for l in pr.labels]
     return labels
 
 
@@ -740,6 +744,7 @@ def _github_client():
         github_json = os.path.expanduser("~/.github.json")
         github = Github(**json.load(open(github_json, "r")))
     except Exception:
+        log.exception()
         github = None
     return github