diff --git a/Lib/test/test_io.py b/Lib/test/test_io.py
index 18b8a7941668ff..85fac30e300a65 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_io.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_io.py
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ def check_path_succeeds(path):
                 self.assertEqual(f.read(), "egg\n")
 
         check_path_succeeds(FakePath(os_helper.TESTFN))
-        check_path_succeeds(FakePath(os_helper.TESTFN.encode('utf-8')))
+        check_path_succeeds(FakePath(os.fsencode(os_helper.TESTFN)))
 
         with self.open(os_helper.TESTFN, "w") as f:
             bad_path = FakePath(f.fileno())