diff --git a/beets/util/artresizer.py b/beets/util/artresizer.py
index 820bc4ed1..3366ec4e4 100644
--- a/beets/util/artresizer.py
+++ b/beets/util/artresizer.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def temp_file_for(path):
     """
     ext = os.path.splitext(path)[1]
     with NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=ext, delete=False) as f:
-        return f.name
+        return util.bytestring_path(f.name)
 
 
 def pil_resize(maxwidth, path_in, path_out=None):