diff --git a/python/helpers/pydev/pydevd_file_utils.py b/python/helpers/pydev/pydevd_file_utils.py
index 9c26b8e57949..1cb6f518fc1d 100644
--- a/python/helpers/pydev/pydevd_file_utils.py
+++ b/python/helpers/pydev/pydevd_file_utils.py
@@ -82,16 +82,15 @@ except ImportError:
 
 
 def convert_to_long_pathname(filename):
-    if sys.platform != "win32":
-        return filename
-    else:
-        if CTYPES_AVAILABLE:
-            buf = ctypes.create_unicode_buffer(260)
-            GetLongPathName = ctypes.windll.kernel32.GetLongPathNameW
-            rv = GetLongPathName(types.UnicodeType(filename), buf, 260)
-            if rv != 0 and rv <= 260:
-                return buf.value.encode(getfilesystemencoding())
-        return filename
+    if CTYPES_AVAILABLE:
+        buf = ctypes.create_unicode_buffer(260)
+        GetLongPathName = ctypes.windll.kernel32.GetLongPathNameW
+        if IS_PY2:
+            filename = unicode(filename)
+        rv = GetLongPathName(filename, buf, 260)
+        if rv != 0 and rv <= 260:
+            return buf.value.encode(getfilesystemencoding())
+    return filename
 
 
 def norm_case(filename):