diff --git a/distutils/extension.py b/distutils/extension.py
index 3f950d5a..6080506f 100644
--- a/distutils/extension.py
+++ b/distutils/extension.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def __init__(
             )
 
         self.name = name
-        self.sources = list(map(pathlib.Path, sources))
+        self.sources = list(map(os.fspath, sources))
         self.include_dirs = include_dirs or []
         self.define_macros = define_macros or []
         self.undef_macros = undef_macros or []
diff --git a/distutils/filelist.py b/distutils/filelist.py
index d0ad54ab..32057626 100644
--- a/distutils/filelist.py
+++ b/distutils/filelist.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ def exclude_pattern(self, pattern, anchor=1, prefix=None, is_regex=0):
         pattern_re = translate_pattern(pattern, anchor, prefix, is_regex)
         self.debug_print("exclude_pattern: applying regex r'%s'" % pattern_re.pattern)
         for i in range(len(self.files) - 1, -1, -1):
-            if pattern_re.search(str(self.files[i])):
+            if pattern_re.search(self.files[i]):
                 self.debug_print(" removing " + self.files[i])
                 del self.files[i]
                 files_found = True
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py b/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
index 7e8a4ddb..9158660c 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ def test_get_source_files(self):
         dist = Distribution({'name': 'xx', 'ext_modules': modules})
         cmd = self.build_ext(dist)
         cmd.ensure_finalized()
-        assert cmd.get_source_files() == [pathlib.Path('xxx')]
+        assert cmd.get_source_files() == ['xxx']
 
     def test_unicode_module_names(self):
         modules = [
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_extension.py b/distutils/tests/test_extension.py
index 023c7f9f..3fbea21e 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_extension.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_extension.py
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ def test_extension_init(self):
         with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
             Extension('name', ['file', 1])
         ext = Extension('name', ['file1', 'file2'])
-        assert ext.sources == [Path('file1'), Path('file2')]
+        assert ext.sources == ['file1', 'file2']
         ext = Extension('name', [Path('file1'), Path('file2')])
-        assert ext.sources == [Path('file1'), Path('file2')]
+        assert ext.sources == ['file1', 'file2']
 
         # others arguments have defaults
         for attr in (