diff --git a/beetsplug/fetchart.py b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
index 2cc362e4a..f131bd9d5 100644
--- a/beetsplug/fetchart.py
+++ b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from beets import util
 from beets import config
 from beets.util.artresizer import ArtResizer
 from beets.util import confit
+from beets.util import syspath, bytestring_path
 
 try:
     import itunes
@@ -599,15 +600,16 @@ class FileSystem(LocalArtSource):
         cautious = extra['cautious']
 
         for path in paths:
-            if not os.path.isdir(path):
+            if not os.path.isdir(syspath(path)):
                 continue
 
             # Find all files that look like images in the directory.
             images = []
-            for fn in os.listdir(path):
+            for fn in os.listdir(syspath(path)):
+                fn = bytestring_path(fn)
                 for ext in IMAGE_EXTENSIONS:
                     if fn.lower().endswith(b'.' + ext.encode('utf8')) and \
-                       os.path.isfile(os.path.join(path, fn)):
+                       os.path.isfile(syspath(os.path.join(path, fn))):
                         images.append(fn)
 
             # Look for "preferred" filenames.
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 2596a8ba5..1069552c0 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ Some fixes for Windows:
   addition to forward slashes). This only applies on Windows.
 * :doc:`/plugins/embedart`: Image similarity comparison with ImageMagick
   should now work on Windows.
+* :doc:`/plugins/fetchart`: The plugin should work more reliably with
+  non-ASCII paths.
 
 Fixes:
 
diff --git a/test/helper.py b/test/helper.py
index 197a85d78..3196e265e 100644
--- a/test/helper.py
+++ b/test/helper.py
@@ -454,9 +454,9 @@ class TestHelper(object):
 
         parent = os.path.dirname(path)
         if not os.path.isdir(parent):
-            os.makedirs(parent)
+            os.makedirs(util.syspath(parent))
 
-        with open(path, 'a+') as f:
+        with open(util.syspath(path), 'a+') as f:
             f.write(content)
         return path
 
diff --git a/test/test_fetchart.py b/test/test_fetchart.py
index db3fef8ec..52e7758b8 100644
--- a/test/test_fetchart.py
+++ b/test/test_fetchart.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 import os
 from test._common import unittest
 from test.helper import TestHelper
+from beets import util
 
 
 class FetchartCliTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ class FetchartCliTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
 
         self.album.load()
         self.assertEqual(self.album['artpath'], cover_path)
-        with open(cover_path, 'r') as f:
+        with open(util.syspath(cover_path), 'r') as f:
             self.assertEqual(f.read(), 'IMAGE')
 
     def test_filesystem_does_not_pick_up_folder(self):