diff --git a/beets/autotag/__init__.py b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
index 2abcab18f..ab579bea6 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ def _sorted_walk(path):
 
     # Recurse into directories.
     for base in dirs:
+        base = library._unicode_path(base)
         cur = os.path.join(path, base)
         # yield from _sorted_walk(cur)
         for res in _sorted_walk(cur):