diff --git a/satpy/tests/reader_tests/test_hdf5_utils.py b/satpy/tests/reader_tests/test_hdf5_utils.py
index f04bd58fa5..828bae566d 100644
--- a/satpy/tests/reader_tests/test_hdf5_utils.py
+++ b/satpy/tests/reader_tests/test_hdf5_utils.py
@@ -27,20 +27,21 @@ def __init__(self, filename, filename_info, filetype_info, **kwargs):
         if HDF5FileHandler is object:
             raise ImportError("Base 'HDF5FileHandler' could not be "
                               "imported.")
+        filename = str(filename)
         super(HDF5FileHandler, self).__init__(filename, filename_info, filetype_info)
         self.file_content = self.get_test_content(filename, filename_info, filetype_info)
         self.file_content.update(kwargs)
 
     def get_test_content(self, filename, filename_info, filetype_info):
         """Mimic reader input file content
-        
+
         Args:
-            filename (str): input filename 
+            filename (str): input filename
             filename_info (dict): Dict of metadata pulled from filename
             filetype_info (dict): Dict of metadata from the reader's yaml config for this file type
 
         Returns: dict of file content with keys like:
-        
+
             - 'dataset'
             - '/attr/global_attr'
             - 'dataset/attr/global_attr'
diff --git a/satpy/tests/test_readers.py b/satpy/tests/test_readers.py
index 15e7a7ec8d..59ef452c36 100644
--- a/satpy/tests/test_readers.py
+++ b/satpy/tests/test_readers.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ def tearDown(self):
 
     def test_no_args(self):
         """Test no args provided.
-        
+
         This should check the local directory which should have no files.
         """
         from satpy.readers import load_readers
@@ -243,6 +243,17 @@ def test_bad_reader_name_with_filenames(self):
             'SVI01_npp_d20120225_t1801245_e1802487_b01708_c20120226002130255476_noaa_ops.h5',
             ])
 
+    def test_filenames_as_path(self):
+        """Test with filenames specified as pathlib.Path"""
+        if sys.version_info < (3, 4):
+            return
+        from pathlib import Path
+        from satpy.readers import load_readers
+        ri = load_readers(filenames=[
+            Path('SVI01_npp_d20120225_t1801245_e1802487_b01708_c20120226002130255476_noaa_ops.h5'),
+        ])
+        self.assertListEqual(list(ri.keys()), ['viirs_sdr'])
+
     def test_filenames_as_dict(self):
         """Test loading readers where filenames are organized by reader"""
         from satpy.readers import load_readers