diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
index 28134da148..5c05f11952 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
@@ -372,7 +372,8 @@ def initial_diff(path, state, prev_state):
                 'directories': [],
                 'files': [],
             }
-            for base_path, sub_folders, files in os.walk(path):
+            b_path = to_bytes(path, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
+            for base_path, sub_folders, files in os.walk(b_path):
                 for folder in sub_folders:
                     folderpath = os.path.join(base_path, folder)
                     walklist['directories'].append(folderpath)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
index 6c03f5a8ab..09796df4e8 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@
 - name: Run tests for directory as dest
   include: directory_as_dest.yml
 
+- name: Run tests for unicode
+  include: unicode_path.yml
+  environment:
+    LC_ALL: C
+    LANG: C
+
 - name: decide to include or not include selinux tests
   include: selinux_tests.yml
   when: selinux_installed is defined and selinux_installed.stdout != "" and selinux_enabled.stdout != "Disabled"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/unicode_path.yml b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/unicode_path.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d78af76564
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/unicode_path.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+- name: create local file with unicode filename and content
+  lineinfile:
+    dest: "{{ output_dir }}/语/汉语.txt"
+    create: true
+    line: 汉语
+
+- name: remove local file with unicode filename and content
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}/语/汉语.txt"
+    state: absent