diff --git a/Lib/shutil.py b/Lib/shutil.py
index a4ce2c0290bc932..bb2496fe2ecb03f 100644
--- a/Lib/shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/shutil.py
@@ -1030,8 +1030,10 @@ def make_archive(base_name, format, root_dir=None, base_dir=None, verbose=0,
     uses the current owner and group.
     """
     sys.audit("shutil.make_archive", base_name, format, root_dir, base_dir)
+    base_name = os.fsdecode(base_name)
     save_cwd = os.getcwd()
     if root_dir is not None:
+        root_dir = os.fsdecode(root_dir)
         if logger is not None:
             logger.debug("changing into '%s'", root_dir)
         base_name = os.path.abspath(base_name)
@@ -1040,6 +1042,7 @@ def make_archive(base_name, format, root_dir=None, base_dir=None, verbose=0,
 
     if base_dir is None:
         base_dir = os.curdir
+    base_dir = os.fsdecode(base_dir)
 
     kwargs = {'dry_run': dry_run, 'logger': logger}
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-26-11-56-35.bpo-41643.1ESh-R.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-26-11-56-35.bpo-41643.1ESh-R.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000000..32c608eb9dbe016
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-08-26-11-56-35.bpo-41643.1ESh-R.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+always support pathlib in shutil.make_archive
\ No newline at end of file