diff --git a/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/htmlemit.py b/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/htmlemit.py
index 66639dcbc7..b0a76f858f 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/htmlemit.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/htmlemit.py
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ Emit docs in a form acceptable to the old Ardupilot wordpress docs site
 
 from param import known_param_fields, known_units
 from emit import Emit
-import html
+try:
+    from cgi import escape as cescape
+except Exception:
+    from html import escape as cescape
 
 
 class HtmlEmit(Emit):
@@ -59,7 +62,7 @@ DO NOT EDIT
             t += '\n\n<h2>%s</h2>' % tag
             if d.get('User', None) == 'Advanced':
                 t += '<em>Note: This parameter is for advanced users</em><br>'
-            t += "\n\n<p>%s</p>\n" % html.escape(param.Description)
+            t += "\n\n<p>%s</p>\n" % cescape(param.Description)
             t += "<ul>\n"
 
             for field in param.__dict__.keys():
@@ -77,8 +80,8 @@ DO NOT EDIT
                         abreviated_units = param.__dict__[field]
                         if abreviated_units != '':
                             units = known_units[abreviated_units]   # use the known_units dictionary to convert the abreviated unit into a full textual one
-                            t += "<li>%s: %s</li>\n" % (field, html.escape(units))
+                            t += "<li>%s: %s</li>\n" % (field, cescape(units))
                     else:
-                        t += "<li>%s: %s</li>\n" % (field, html.escape(param.__dict__[field]))
+                        t += "<li>%s: %s</li>\n" % (field, cescape(param.__dict__[field]))
             t += "</ul>\n"
         self.t += t
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/rstemit.py b/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/rstemit.py
index 1b0bc7e085..d2c6a275e0 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/rstemit.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/param_metadata/rstemit.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import re
 from param import known_param_fields, known_units
 from emit import Emit
-import html
+try:
+    from cgi import escape as cescape
+except Exception:
+    from html import escape as cescape
 
 
 # Emit docs in a RST format
@@ -256,9 +259,9 @@ Complete Parameter List
                             # convert the abreviated unit into a full
                             # textual one:
                             units = known_units[abreviated_units]
-                            row.append(html.escape(units))
+                            row.append(cescape(units))
                     else:
-                        row.append(html.escape(param.__dict__[field]))
+                        row.append(cescape(param.__dict__[field]))
             if len(row):
                 ret += "\n\n" + self.tablify([row], headings=headings) + "\n\n"
         self.t += ret + "\n"