diff --git a/gramps/gen/test/user_test.py b/gramps/gen/test/user_test.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5e31fca84..000000000
--- a/gramps/gen/test/user_test.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-#
-# Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
-#
-# Copyright (C) 2013 Vassilii Khachaturov <vassilii@tarunz.org>
-#
-# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
-# (at your option) any later version.
-#
-# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-# GNU General Public License for more details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
-#
-
-""" Unittest for user.py """
-
-import unittest
-from .. import user
-
-class TestUser:
-    TITLE = "Testing prompt"
-    MSG = "Choices are hard. Nevertheless, please choose!"
-    ACCEPT = "To be"
-    REJECT = "Not to be"
-
-class TestUser_prompt(unittest.TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        self.user = user.User()
-
-    def test_not_implemented(self):
-        self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError, self.user.prompt,
-                          TestUser.TITLE,
-                          TestUser.MSG,
-                          TestUser.ACCEPT,
-                          TestUser.REJECT)
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gramps/gen/user.py b/gramps/gen/user.py
index 2f6ca2baf..c582ec4e7 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/user.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/user.py
@@ -23,9 +23,10 @@ The User class provides basic interaction with the user.
 """
 
 import sys
+from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
-class User:
+class User(metaclass=ABCMeta):
     """
     This class provides a means to interact with the user in an abstract way.
     This class should be overridden by each respective user interface to
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ class User:
         self.uistate = uistate
         self.dbstate = dbstate
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def begin_progress(self, title, message, steps):
         """
         Start showing a progress indicator to the user.
@@ -55,15 +57,14 @@ class User:
         :type steps: int
         :returns: none
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def step_progress(self):
         """
         Advance the progress meter.
 
         Don't use this method directly, use progress instead.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
     def callback(self, percentage, text=None):
         """
@@ -83,13 +84,13 @@ class User:
         else:
             self._fileout.write("\r%02d%% %s" % (percentage, text))
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def end_progress(self):
         """
         Stop showing the progress indicator to the user.
 
         Don't use this method directly, use progress instead.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
     # Context-manager wrapper of the begin/step/end_progress above
     @contextmanager
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ class User:
         finally:
             self.end_progress()
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def prompt(self, title, message, accept_label, reject_label, parent=None,
                default_label=None):
         """
@@ -135,8 +137,8 @@ class User:
         :returns: the user's answer to the question
         :rtype: bool
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def warn(self, title, warning=""):
         """
         Warn the user.
@@ -147,8 +149,8 @@ class User:
         :type warning: str
         :returns: none
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def notify_error(self, title, error=""):
         """
         Notify the user of an error.
@@ -159,8 +161,8 @@ class User:
         :type error: str
         :returns: none
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def notify_db_error(self, error):
         """
         Notify the user of a DB error.
@@ -169,10 +171,9 @@ class User:
         :type error: str
         :returns: none
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @abstractmethod
     def info(self, msg1, infotext, parent=None, monospaced=False):
         """
         Displays information to the user
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.skip b/po/POTFILES.skip
index 7e05c5b41..230b70194 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po/POTFILES.skip
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ gramps/gen/__init__.py
 gramps/gen/sort.py
 gramps/gen/soundex.py
 gramps/gen/updatecallback.py
-gramps/gen/user.py
 gramps/gen/ggettext.py
 #
 # gen.datehandler package