diff --git a/mopidy/config/types.py b/mopidy/config/types.py
index a2f759df..ec0be1de 100644
--- a/mopidy/config/types.py
+++ b/mopidy/config/types.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import logging
 import re
 import socket
-import sys
 
 from mopidy.utils import path
 from mopidy.config import validators
@@ -257,7 +256,7 @@ class Path(ConfigValue):
 
     def serialize(self, value, display=False):
         if isinstance(value, unicode):
-            value = value.encode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+            raise ValueError('paths should always be bytes')
         if isinstance(value, ExpandedPath):
             return value.original
         return value
diff --git a/tests/config/types_test.py b/tests/config/types_test.py
index 24f1265e..88c8f067 100644
--- a/tests/config/types_test.py
+++ b/tests/config/types_test.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import logging
 import mock
 import socket
-import sys
 import unittest
 
 from mopidy.config import types
@@ -367,7 +366,4 @@ class PathTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_serialize_unicode_string(self):
         value = types.Path()
-        expected = 'æøå'.encode(sys.getfilesystemencoding())
-        result = value.serialize('æøå')
-        self.assertEqual(expected, result)
-        self.assertIsInstance(result, bytes)
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, value.serialize, 'æøå')