diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index a5306196b1..e1966c5af5 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     SmileyChris <smileychris@gmail.com>
     smurf@smurf.noris.de
     sopel
+    Leo Soto <leo.soto@gmail.com>
     Wiliam Alves de Souza <wiliamsouza83@gmail.com>
     Georgi Stanojevski <glisha@gmail.com>
     Vasiliy Stavenko <stavenko@gmail.com>
diff --git a/django/core/management/validation.py b/django/core/management/validation.py
index aa4ef47c2f..6528a34f29 100644
--- a/django/core/management/validation.py
+++ b/django/core/management/validation.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import sys
 from django.core.management.color import color_style
+from django.utils.itercompat import is_iterable
 
 class ModelErrorCollection:
     def __init__(self, outfile=sys.stdout):
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@ def get_validation_errors(outfile, app=None):
             if f.prepopulate_from is not None and type(f.prepopulate_from) not in (list, tuple):
                 e.add(opts, '"%s": prepopulate_from should be a list or tuple.' % f.name)
             if f.choices:
-                if not hasattr(f.choices, '__iter__'):
+                if isinstance(f.choices, basestring) or \
+                       not is_iterable(f.choices):
                     e.add(opts, '"%s": "choices" should be iterable (e.g., a tuple or list).' % f.name)
                 else:
                     for c in f.choices:
diff --git a/django/http/__init__.py b/django/http/__init__.py
index 2b68a6243a..102094b95d 100644
--- a/django/http/__init__.py
+++ b/django/http/__init__.py
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ class HttpResponse(object):
     content = property(_get_content, _set_content)
 
     def __iter__(self):
-        self._iterator = self._container.__iter__()
+        self._iterator = iter(self._container)
         return self
 
     def next(self):
diff --git a/django/template/__init__.py b/django/template/__init__.py
index 6880fd5997..de8591ac5c 100644
--- a/django/template/__init__.py
+++ b/django/template/__init__.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import re
 from inspect import getargspec
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.template.context import Context, RequestContext, ContextPopException
+from django.utils.itercompat import is_iterable
 from django.utils.functional import curry, Promise
 from django.utils.text import smart_split
 from django.utils.encoding import smart_unicode, force_unicode
@@ -900,7 +901,7 @@ class Library(object):
 
                     if not getattr(self, 'nodelist', False):
                         from django.template.loader import get_template, select_template
-                        if hasattr(file_name, '__iter__'):
+                        if not isinstance(file_name, basestring) and is_iterable(file_name):
                             t = select_template(file_name)
                         else:
                             t = get_template(file_name)
diff --git a/django/test/client.py b/django/test/client.py
index c3e221554f..faacc5bf9e 100644
--- a/django/test/client.py
+++ b/django/test/client.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from django.test import signals
 from django.utils.functional import curry
 from django.utils.encoding import smart_str
 from django.utils.http import urlencode
+from django.utils.itercompat import is_iterable
 
 BOUNDARY = 'BoUnDaRyStRiNg'
 MULTIPART_CONTENT = 'multipart/form-data; boundary=%s' % BOUNDARY
@@ -74,21 +75,22 @@ def encode_multipart(boundary, data):
                 '',
                 value.read()
             ])
-        elif hasattr(value, '__iter__'):
-            for item in value:
+        else:
+            if not isinstance(value, basestring) and is_iterable(value):
+                for item in value:
+                    lines.extend([
+                        '--' + boundary,
+                        'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="%s"' % to_str(key),
+                        '',
+                        to_str(item)
+                    ])
+            else:
                 lines.extend([
                     '--' + boundary,
                     'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="%s"' % to_str(key),
                     '',
-                    to_str(item)
+                    to_str(value)
                 ])
-        else:
-            lines.extend([
-                '--' + boundary,
-                'Content-Disposition: form-data; name="%s"' % to_str(key),
-                '',
-                to_str(value)
-            ])
 
     lines.extend([
         '--' + boundary + '--',
diff --git a/django/utils/itercompat.py b/django/utils/itercompat.py
index 0de1b6cbe2..3742d6c5d8 100644
--- a/django/utils/itercompat.py
+++ b/django/utils/itercompat.py
@@ -57,3 +57,13 @@ else:
     tee = compat_tee
 if hasattr(itertools, 'groupby'):
     groupby = itertools.groupby
+
+def is_iterable(x):
+    "A implementation independent way of checking for iterables"
+    try:
+        iter(x)
+    except TypeError:
+        return False
+    else:
+        return True
+