diff --git a/beets/library/models.py b/beets/library/models.py
index efa0f9694..68c80b934 100644
--- a/beets/library/models.py
+++ b/beets/library/models.py
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ class LibModel(dbcore.Model["Library"]):
     def writable_media_fields(cls) -> set[str]:
         return set(MediaFile.fields()) & cls._fields.keys()
 
+    @property
+    def filepath(self) -> Path:
+        """The path to the entity as pathlib.Path."""
+        return Path(os.fsdecode(self.path))
+
     def _template_funcs(self):
         funcs = DefaultTemplateFunctions(self, self._db).functions()
         funcs.update(plugins.template_funcs())
@@ -207,6 +212,8 @@ class Album(LibModel):
     Reflects the library's "albums" table, including album art.
     """
 
+    artpath: bytes
+
     _table = "albums"
     _flex_table = "album_attributes"
     _always_dirty = True
@@ -331,6 +338,11 @@ class Album(LibModel):
             f"ON {cls._table}.id = {cls._relation._table}.album_id"
         )
 
+    @property
+    def art_filepath(self) -> Path | None:
+        """The path to album's cover picture as pathlib.Path."""
+        return Path(os.fsdecode(self.artpath)) if self.artpath else None
+
     @classmethod
     def _getters(cls):
         # In addition to plugin-provided computed fields, also expose
@@ -748,11 +760,6 @@ class Item(LibModel):
             f"ON {cls._table}.album_id = {cls._relation._table}.id"
         )
 
-    @property
-    def filepath(self) -> Path:
-        """The path to the item's file as pathlib.Path."""
-        return Path(os.fsdecode(self.path))
-
     @property
     def _cached_album(self):
         """The Album object that this item belongs to, if any, or
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_art.py b/test/plugins/test_art.py
index 6577b54fc..9f5817108 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_art.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_art.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import os
 import shutil
 import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
@@ -804,12 +805,10 @@ class ArtImporterTest(UseThePlugin):
         self.plugin.fetch_art(self.session, self.task)
         self.plugin.assign_art(self.session, self.task)
 
-        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].artpath
+        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].art_filepath
         if should_exist:
-            assert artpath == os.path.join(
-                os.path.dirname(self.i.path), b"cover.jpg"
-            )
-            self.assertExists(artpath)
+            assert artpath == self.i.filepath.parent / "cover.jpg"
+            assert artpath.exists()
         else:
             assert artpath is None
         return artpath
@@ -861,7 +860,7 @@ class ArtImporterTest(UseThePlugin):
         self.plugin.batch_fetch_art(
             self.lib, self.lib.albums(), force=False, quiet=False
         )
-        self.assertExists(self.album.artpath)
+        assert self.album.art_filepath.exists()
 
 
 class ArtForAlbumTest(UseThePlugin):
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_embedart.py b/test/plugins/test_embedart.py
index 2cada1d5b..1b8528cb7 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_embedart.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_embedart.py
@@ -203,23 +203,21 @@ class EmbedartCliTest(IOMixin, PluginMixin, FetchImageHelper, BeetsTestCase):
         resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"image.mp3")
         album = self.add_album_fixture()
         trackpath = album.items()[0].path
-        albumpath = album.path
         shutil.copy(syspath(resource_path), syspath(trackpath))
 
         self.run_command("extractart", "-n", "extracted")
 
-        self.assertExists(os.path.join(albumpath, b"extracted.png"))
+        self.assertExists(album.filepath / "extracted.png")
 
     def test_extracted_extension(self):
         resource_path = os.path.join(_common.RSRC, b"image-jpeg.mp3")
         album = self.add_album_fixture()
         trackpath = album.items()[0].path
-        albumpath = album.path
         shutil.copy(syspath(resource_path), syspath(trackpath))
 
         self.run_command("extractart", "-n", "extracted")
 
-        self.assertExists(os.path.join(albumpath, b"extracted.jpg"))
+        self.assertExists(album.filepath / "extracted.jpg")
 
     def test_clear_art_with_yes_input(self):
         self._setup_data()
diff --git a/test/test_files.py b/test/test_files.py
index 8be94f328..55865f4d4 100644
--- a/test/test_files.py
+++ b/test/test_files.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import shutil
 import stat
 import unittest
 from os.path import join
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -314,9 +315,10 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
         # Make an album.
         self.ai = self.lib.add_album((self.i,))
         # Make an art file too.
-        self.art = self.lib.get_album(self.i).art_destination("something.jpg")
-        touch(self.art)
-        self.ai.artpath = self.art
+        art_bytes = self.lib.get_album(self.i).art_destination("something.jpg")
+        self.art = Path(os.fsdecode(art_bytes))
+        self.art.touch()
+        self.ai.artpath = art_bytes
         self.ai.store()
         # Alternate destination dir.
         self.otherdir = os.path.join(self.temp_dir, b"testotherdir")
@@ -345,10 +347,10 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
         self.i.load()
 
         # Art should be in new directory.
-        self.assertNotExists(self.art)
-        newart = self.lib.get_album(self.i).artpath
-        self.assertExists(newart)
-        assert b"testotherdir" in newart
+        assert not self.art.exists()
+        newart = self.lib.get_album(self.i).art_filepath
+        assert newart.exists()
+        assert "testotherdir" in str(newart)
 
     def test_setart_copies_image(self):
         util.remove(self.art)
@@ -363,7 +365,7 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
 
         assert ai.artpath is None
         ai.set_art(newart)
-        self.assertExists(ai.artpath)
+        assert ai.art_filepath.exists()
 
     def test_setart_to_existing_art_works(self):
         util.remove(self.art)
@@ -380,7 +382,7 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
 
         # Set the art again.
         ai.set_art(ai.artpath)
-        self.assertExists(ai.artpath)
+        assert ai.art_filepath.exists()
 
     def test_setart_to_existing_but_unset_art_works(self):
         newart = os.path.join(self.libdir, b"newart.jpg")
@@ -397,7 +399,7 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
 
         # Set the art again.
         ai.set_art(artdest)
-        self.assertExists(ai.artpath)
+        assert ai.art_filepath.exists()
 
     def test_setart_to_conflicting_file_gets_new_path(self):
         newart = os.path.join(self.libdir, b"newart.jpg")
@@ -442,34 +444,34 @@ class ArtFileTest(BeetsTestCase):
             os.chmod(syspath(ai.artpath), 0o777)
 
     def test_move_last_file_moves_albumart(self):
-        oldartpath = self.lib.albums()[0].artpath
-        self.assertExists(oldartpath)
+        oldartpath = self.lib.albums()[0].art_filepath
+        assert oldartpath.exists()
 
         self.ai.album = "different_album"
         self.ai.store()
         self.ai.items()[0].move()
 
-        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].artpath
-        assert b"different_album" in artpath
-        self.assertExists(artpath)
-        self.assertNotExists(oldartpath)
+        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].art_filepath
+        assert "different_album" in str(artpath)
+        assert artpath.exists()
+        assert not oldartpath.exists()
 
     def test_move_not_last_file_does_not_move_albumart(self):
         i2 = item()
         i2.albumid = self.ai.id
         self.lib.add(i2)
 
-        oldartpath = self.lib.albums()[0].artpath
-        self.assertExists(oldartpath)
+        oldartpath = self.lib.albums()[0].art_filepath
+        assert oldartpath.exists()
 
         self.i.album = "different_album"
         self.i.album_id = None  # detach from album
         self.i.move()
 
-        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].artpath
-        assert b"different_album" not in artpath
+        artpath = self.lib.albums()[0].art_filepath
+        assert "different_album" not in str(artpath)
         assert artpath == oldartpath
-        self.assertExists(oldartpath)
+        assert oldartpath.exists()
 
 
 class RemoveTest(BeetsTestCase):
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index 3e362a179..c23b56d7a 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import sys
 import unicodedata
 import unittest
 from io import StringIO
+from pathlib import Path
 from tarfile import TarFile
 from tempfile import mkstemp
 from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
@@ -1566,14 +1567,14 @@ class ReimportTest(AutotagImportTestCase):
         replaced_album = self._album()
         replaced_album.set_art(art_source)
         replaced_album.store()
-        old_artpath = replaced_album.artpath
+        old_artpath = replaced_album.art_filepath
         self.importer.run()
         new_album = self._album()
         new_artpath = new_album.art_destination(art_source)
         assert new_album.artpath == new_artpath
-        self.assertExists(new_artpath)
+        assert new_album.art_filepath.exists()
         if new_artpath != old_artpath:
-            self.assertNotExists(old_artpath)
+            assert not old_artpath.exists()
 
     def test_reimported_album_has_new_flexattr(self):
         self._setup_session()
diff --git a/test/test_ui.py b/test/test_ui.py
index 8c93a83ea..7a394a3d9 100644
--- a/test/test_ui.py
+++ b/test/test_ui.py
@@ -601,12 +601,12 @@ class UpdateTest(IOMixin, BeetsTestCase):
         assert not self.lib.albums()
 
     def test_delete_removes_album_art(self):
-        artpath = self.album.artpath
-        self.assertExists(artpath)
+        art_filepath = self.album.art_filepath
+        assert art_filepath.exists()
         util.remove(self.i.path)
         util.remove(self.i2.path)
         self._update()
-        self.assertNotExists(artpath)
+        assert not art_filepath.exists()
 
     def test_modified_metadata_detected(self):
         mf = MediaFile(syspath(self.i.path))