diff --git a/test/test_convert.py b/test/test_convert.py
index d3a1206be..1f1b1a7fb 100644
--- a/test/test_convert.py
+++ b/test/test_convert.py
@@ -44,26 +44,35 @@ class TestHelper(helper.TestHelper):
     def assertFileTag(self, path, tag):  # noqa
         """Assert that the path is a file and the files content ends with `tag`.
         """
+        display_tag = tag
         tag = tag.encode('utf-8')
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(path),
-                        u'{0} is not a file'.format(path))
+                        u'{0} is not a file'.format(
+                            util.displayable_path(path)))
         with open(path, 'rb') as f:
-            f.seek(-len(tag), os.SEEK_END)
+            f.seek(-len(display_tag), os.SEEK_END)
             self.assertEqual(f.read(), tag,
-                             u'{0} is not tagged with {1}'.format(path, tag))
+                             u'{0} is not tagged with {1}'
+                             .format(
+                                 util.displayable_path(path),
+                                 display_tag))
 
     def assertNoFileTag(self, path, tag):  # noqa
         """Assert that the path is a file and the files content does not
         end with `tag`.
         """
+        display_tag = tag
         tag = tag.encode('utf-8')
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(path),
-                        u'{0} is not a file'.format(path))
+                        u'{0} is not a file'.format(
+                            util.displayable_path(path)))
         with open(path, 'rb') as f:
             f.seek(-len(tag), os.SEEK_END)
             self.assertNotEqual(f.read(), tag,
                                 u'{0} is unexpectedly tagged with {1}'
-                                .format(path, tag))
+                                .format(
+                                    util.displayable_path(path),
+                                    display_tag))
 
 
 @_common.slow_test()
diff --git a/test/test_embedart.py b/test/test_embedart.py
index 2f47e8f25..4ba5c3424 100644
--- a/test/test_embedart.py
+++ b/test/test_embedart.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from test.helper import TestHelper
 
 from beets.mediafile import MediaFile
 from beets import config, logging, ui
-from beets.util import syspath
+from beets.util import syspath, displayable_path
 from beets.util.artresizer import ArtResizer
 from beets import art
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class EmbedartCliTest(_common.TestCase, TestHelper):
 
         self.assertEqual(mediafile.images[0].data, self.image_data,
                          u'Image written is not {0}'.format(
-                         self.abbey_artpath))
+                         displayable_path(self.abbey_artpath)))
 
     @require_artresizer_compare
     def test_accept_similar_art(self):
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class EmbedartCliTest(_common.TestCase, TestHelper):
 
         self.assertEqual(mediafile.images[0].data, self.image_data,
                          u'Image written is not {0}'.format(
-                         self.abbey_similarpath))
+                         displayable_path(self.abbey_similarpath)))
 
     def test_non_ascii_album_path(self):
         resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b'image.mp3')
diff --git a/test/test_permissions.py b/test/test_permissions.py
index 7234ec30d..040839110 100644
--- a/test/test_permissions.py
+++ b/test/test_permissions.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from mock import patch, Mock
 
 from test._common import unittest
 from test.helper import TestHelper
+from beets.util import displayable_path
 from beetsplug.permissions import (check_permissions,
                                    convert_perm,
                                    dirs_in_library)
@@ -67,9 +68,13 @@ class PermissionsPluginTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
     def assertPerms(self, path, typ, expect_success):  # noqa
         for x in [(True, self.exp_perms[expect_success][typ], '!='),
                   (False, self.exp_perms[not expect_success][typ], '==')]:
-            self.assertEqual(x[0], check_permissions(path, x[1]),
-                             msg=u'{} : {} {} {}'.format(
-                path, oct(os.stat(path).st_mode), x[2], oct(x[1])))
+            msg = u'{} : {} {} {}'.format(
+                displayable_path(path),
+                oct(os.stat(path).st_mode),
+                x[2],
+                oct(x[1])
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(x[0], check_permissions(path, x[1]), msg=msg)
 
     def test_convert_perm_from_string(self):
         self.assertEqual(convert_perm('10'), 8)