diff --git a/jedi/_compatibility.py b/jedi/_compatibility.py
index 6bb3eeaa..13a74b7b 100644
--- a/jedi/_compatibility.py
+++ b/jedi/_compatibility.py
@@ -7,22 +7,6 @@ import sys
 import pickle
 
 
-def cast_path(string):
-    """
-    Take a bytes or str path and cast it to unicode.
-
-    Apparently it is perfectly fine to pass both byte and unicode objects into
-    the sys.path. This probably means that byte paths are normal at other
-    places as well.
-
-    Since this just really complicates everything and Python 2.7 will be EOL
-    soon anyway, just go with always strings.
-    """
-    if isinstance(string, bytes):
-        return str(string, encoding='UTF-8', errors='replace')
-    return str(string)
-
-
 def pickle_load(file):
     try:
         return pickle.load(file)
diff --git a/jedi/inference/compiled/subprocess/functions.py b/jedi/inference/compiled/subprocess/functions.py
index 601fe6c2..33d6c1fa 100644
--- a/jedi/inference/compiled/subprocess/functions.py
+++ b/jedi/inference/compiled/subprocess/functions.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from zipimport import zipimporter
 from importlib.machinery import all_suffixes
 
-from jedi._compatibility import cast_path
 from jedi.inference.compiled import access
 from jedi import debug
 from jedi import parser_utils
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ from jedi.file_io import KnownContentFileIO, ZipFileIO
 
 
 def get_sys_path():
-    return list(map(cast_path, sys.path))
+    return sys.path
 
 
 def load_module(inference_state, **kwargs):
@@ -190,7 +189,7 @@ def _from_loader(loader, string):
     except AttributeError:
         return None, is_package
     else:
-        module_path = cast_path(get_filename(string))
+        module_path = get_filename(string)
 
     # To avoid unicode and read bytes, "overwrite" loader.get_source if
     # possible.
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ def _from_loader(loader, string):
     if code is None:
         return None, is_package
     if isinstance(loader, zipimporter):
-        return ZipFileIO(module_path, code, Path(cast_path(loader.archive))), is_package
+        return ZipFileIO(module_path, code, Path(loader.archive)), is_package
 
     return KnownContentFileIO(module_path, code), is_package
 
diff --git a/jedi/inference/compiled/value.py b/jedi/inference/compiled/value.py
index f988ab14..c4a9eb3f 100644
--- a/jedi/inference/compiled/value.py
+++ b/jedi/inference/compiled/value.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 from jedi import debug
 from jedi.inference.utils import to_list
-from jedi._compatibility import cast_path
 from jedi.cache import memoize_method
 from jedi.inference.filters import AbstractFilter
 from jedi.inference.names import AbstractNameDefinition, ValueNameMixin, \
@@ -293,10 +292,7 @@ class CompiledModule(CompiledValue):
         return CompiledModuleContext(self)
 
     def py__path__(self):
-        paths = self.access_handle.py__path__()
-        if paths is None:
-            return None
-        return map(cast_path, paths)
+        return self.access_handle.py__path__()
 
     def is_package(self):
         return self.py__path__() is not None
@@ -310,7 +306,7 @@ class CompiledModule(CompiledValue):
         return tuple(name.split('.'))
 
     def py__file__(self):
-        path = cast_path(self.access_handle.py__file__())
+        path = self.access_handle.py__file__()
         if path is None:
             return None
         return Path(path)
diff --git a/jedi/inference/gradual/typeshed.py b/jedi/inference/gradual/typeshed.py
index 1fd53113..50217cd3 100644
--- a/jedi/inference/gradual/typeshed.py
+++ b/jedi/inference/gradual/typeshed.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 from jedi import settings
 from jedi.file_io import FileIO
-from jedi._compatibility import cast_path
 from jedi.parser_utils import get_cached_code_lines
 from jedi.inference.base_value import ValueSet, NO_VALUES
 from jedi.inference.gradual.stub_value import TypingModuleWrapper, StubModuleValue
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ def _create_stub_map(directory_path_info):
             return
 
         for entry in listed:
-            entry = cast_path(entry)
             path = os.path.join(directory_path_info.path, entry)
             if os.path.isdir(path):
                 init = os.path.join(path, '__init__.pyi')
@@ -169,7 +167,6 @@ def _try_to_load_stub(inference_state, import_names, python_value_set,
     if len(import_names) == 1:
         # foo-stubs
         for p in sys_path:
-            p = cast_path(p)
             init = os.path.join(p, *import_names) + '-stubs' + os.path.sep + '__init__.pyi'
             m = _try_to_load_stub_from_file(
                 inference_state,