diff --git a/importlib_resources/_compat.py b/importlib_resources/_compat.py
index d7e9f0d..519ccfa 100644
--- a/importlib_resources/_compat.py
+++ b/importlib_resources/_compat.py
@@ -108,19 +108,3 @@ def wrap_spec(package):
 else:
     # PathLike is only subscriptable at runtime in 3.9+
     StrPath = Union[str, "os.PathLike[str]"]
-
-
-def ensure_traversable(path):
-    """
-    Convert deprecated string arguments to traversables (pathlib.Path).
-    """
-    if not isinstance(path, str):
-        return path
-
-    warnings.warn(
-        "String arguments are deprecated. Pass a Traversable instead.",
-        DeprecationWarning,
-        stacklevel=3,
-    )
-
-    return pathlib.Path(path)
diff --git a/importlib_resources/readers.py b/importlib_resources/readers.py
index 1e2d1ba..ef2d21a 100644
--- a/importlib_resources/readers.py
+++ b/importlib_resources/readers.py
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@
 import pathlib
 import operator
 import re
+import warnings
 
 from . import abc
 
 from ._itertools import only
-from ._compat import ZipPath, ensure_traversable
+from ._compat import ZipPath
 
 
 def remove_duplicates(items):
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ class MultiplexedPath(abc.Traversable):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, *paths):
-        self._paths = list(map(ensure_traversable, remove_duplicates(paths)))
+        self._paths = list(map(_ensure_traversable, remove_duplicates(paths)))
         if not self._paths:
             message = 'MultiplexedPath must contain at least one path'
             raise FileNotFoundError(message)
@@ -170,3 +171,21 @@ def resource_path(self, resource):
 
     def files(self):
         return self.path
+
+
+def _ensure_traversable(path):
+    """
+    Convert deprecated string arguments to traversables (pathlib.Path).
+
+    Remove with Python 3.15.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(path, str):
+        return path
+
+    warnings.warn(
+        "String arguments are deprecated. Pass a Traversable instead.",
+        DeprecationWarning,
+        stacklevel=3,
+    )
+
+    return pathlib.Path(path)