diff --git a/tests/unit/test_vcr.py b/tests/unit/test_vcr.py
index 278a924..9a9301c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_vcr.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_vcr.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import http.client as httplib
 import os
+from pathlib import Path
 from unittest import mock
 
 import pytest
@@ -95,7 +96,6 @@ def test_vcr_before_record_response_iterable():
 
     # Prevent actually saving the cassette
     with mock.patch("vcr.cassette.FilesystemPersister.save_cassette"):
-
         # Baseline: non-iterable before_record_response should work
         mock_filter = mock.Mock()
         vcr = VCR(before_record_response=mock_filter)
@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@ def test_before_record_response_as_filter():
 
     # Prevent actually saving the cassette
     with mock.patch("vcr.cassette.FilesystemPersister.save_cassette"):
-
         filter_all = mock.Mock(return_value=None)
         vcr = VCR(before_record_response=filter_all)
         with vcr.use_cassette("test") as cassette:
@@ -133,7 +132,6 @@ def test_vcr_path_transformer():
 
     # Prevent actually saving the cassette
     with mock.patch("vcr.cassette.FilesystemPersister.save_cassette"):
-
         # Baseline: path should be unchanged
         vcr = VCR()
         with vcr.use_cassette("test") as cassette:
@@ -360,3 +358,11 @@ def test_dynamically_added(self):
 
 TestVCRClass.test_dynamically_added = test_dynamically_added
 del test_dynamically_added
+
+
+def test_path_class_as_cassette():
+    path = Path(__file__).parent.parent.joinpath(
+        "integration/cassettes/test_httpx_test_test_behind_proxy.yml"
+    )
+    with use_cassette(path):
+        pass
diff --git a/vcr/config.py b/vcr/config.py
index 1ff3cac..45412e3 100644
--- a/vcr/config.py
+++ b/vcr/config.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import inspect
 import os
 import types
 from collections import abc as collections_abc
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import six
 
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ class VCR:
         return matchers
 
     def use_cassette(self, path=None, **kwargs):
-        if path is not None and not isinstance(path, str):
+        if path is not None and not isinstance(path, (str, Path)):
             function = path
             # Assume this is an attempt to decorate a function
             return self._use_cassette(**kwargs)(function)
diff --git a/vcr/persisters/filesystem.py b/vcr/persisters/filesystem.py
index 9f50bb8..e971063 100644
--- a/vcr/persisters/filesystem.py
+++ b/vcr/persisters/filesystem.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # .. _persister_example:
 
-import os
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from ..serialize import deserialize, serialize
 
@@ -8,19 +8,25 @@ from ..serialize import deserialize, serialize
 class FilesystemPersister:
     @classmethod
     def load_cassette(cls, cassette_path, serializer):
-        try:
-            with open(cassette_path) as f:
-                cassette_content = f.read()
-        except OSError:
+        cassette_path = Path(cassette_path)  # if cassette path is already Path this is no operation
+        if not cassette_path.is_file():
             raise ValueError("Cassette not found.")
-        cassette = deserialize(cassette_content, serializer)
-        return cassette
+        try:
+            with cassette_path.open() as f:
+                data = f.read()
+        except UnicodeEncodeError as err:
+            raise ValueError("Can't read Cassette, Encoding is broken") from err
+
+        return deserialize(data, serializer)
 
     @staticmethod
     def save_cassette(cassette_path, cassette_dict, serializer):
         data = serialize(cassette_dict, serializer)
-        dirname, filename = os.path.split(cassette_path)
-        if dirname and not os.path.exists(dirname):
-            os.makedirs(dirname)
-        with open(cassette_path, "w") as f:
+        cassette_path = Path(cassette_path)  # if cassette path is already Path this is no operation
+
+        cassette_folder = cassette_path.parent
+        if not cassette_folder.exists():
+            cassette_folder.mkdir(parents=True)
+
+        with cassette_path.open("w") as f:
             f.write(data)