diff --git a/testing/path/test_local.py b/testing/path/test_local.py
index ae009362..20797006 100644
--- a/testing/path/test_local.py
+++ b/testing/path/test_local.py
@@ -1064,3 +1064,67 @@ def test_default_encoding(self, tmpdir):
         s = x.read_text("ascii")
         assert s == part
         assert type(s) == type(part)
+
+
+def test_behavior_with_bytes():  # type: () -> None
+    """Test py.path.local's behavior with regard to bytes instead of text."""
+    bpath = local(b"/bytesname")
+    brelpath = local(b"bytesname")
+
+    if sys.version_info < (3,):
+        if sys.platform == "win32":
+            assert str(bpath) == r"C:\bytesname"
+        else:
+            assert str(bpath) == "/bytesname"
+        assert str(brelpath) == local("bytesname")
+        local() / brelpath
+        local(b"/") / brelpath
+    else:
+        with pytest.raises(
+            TypeError, match=r"__str__ returned non-string \(type bytes\)"
+        ):
+            str(bpath)
+        with pytest.raises(
+            TypeError, match="a bytes-like object is required, not 'str'"
+        ):
+            local() / brelpath
+        with pytest.raises(
+            TypeError,
+            match="endswith first arg must be bytes or a tuple of bytes, not str",
+        ):
+            local(b"/") / brelpath
+
+    p1 = local(b"/")
+    p1.sep = b"/"  # type: ignore[assignment,misc]  # noqa: F821
+    if sys.version_info < (3,):
+        p1 / brelpath
+    else:
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="can't concat str to bytes"):
+            p1 / brelpath
+
+    p1 = local(b"")
+    p1.sep = b"/"  # type: ignore[assignment,misc]  # noqa: F821
+    if sys.version_info > (3,) and sys.platform == "win32":
+        with pytest.raises(
+            TypeError, match="a bytes-like object is required, not 'str'"
+        ):
+            p1 / brelpath
+    else:
+        assert p1 / brelpath == p1 / brelpath
+
+    if sys.version_info < (3,):
+        assert p1 / brelpath == local("") / local("bytesname")
+        assert str(p1 / brelpath) == str(local("") / local("bytesname"))
+    else:
+        if sys.platform == "win32":
+            with pytest.raises(TypeError, "a bytes-like object is required, not 'str'"):
+                p1 / brelpath
+        else:
+            assert p1 / brelpath != local("") / local("bytesname")
+            with pytest.raises(
+                TypeError, match=r"__str__ returned non-string \(type bytes\)"
+            ):
+                str(p1 / brelpath)
+
+            strpath = (p1 / brelpath).strpath.decode()
+            assert strpath == str(local("") / local("bytesname"))