diff --git a/Lib/test/test_posixpath.py b/Lib/test/test_posixpath.py
index 88aa68c5b3c..bcb29dfc729 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_posixpath.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_posixpath.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class PosixPathTest(unittest.TestCase):
             f = open(test_support.TESTFN, "rb")
             d = f.read()
             f.close()
-            self.assertEqual(d, "foobar")
+            self.assertEqual(d, b"foobar")
 
             self.assert_(
                 posixpath.getctime(test_support.TESTFN) <=