diff --git a/tests/test_winutils.py b/tests/test_winutils.py
index ba2eca5..69538c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_winutils.py
+++ b/tests/test_winutils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import pytest
 import os
+import tempfile
+
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import windows.utils
 import windows.generated_def as gdef
-
 from pfwtest import *
 
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.usefixtures('check_for_gc_garbage')
@@ -107,7 +108,6 @@ def test_datetime_from_filetime():
 
 
 
-
 def test_unix_timestamp_from_filetime():
     # Check date vs timestamps to be sure
     assert datetime.utcfromtimestamp(1504765968.072730) == datetime(2017, 9, 7, 6, 32, 48, 72730)
@@ -116,4 +116,21 @@ def test_unix_timestamp_from_filetime():
 
     assert datetime.utcfromtimestamp(1504765968.072731) == datetime(2017, 9, 7, 6, 32, 48, 72731)
     assert windows.utils.unix_timestamp_from_filetime(131492395680727309) == 1504765968.072731
-    assert windows.utils.unix_timestamp_from_filetime(131492395680727305) == 1504765968.072731
\ No newline at end of file
+    assert windows.utils.unix_timestamp_from_filetime(131492395680727305) == 1504765968.072731
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("prefix,prefixtype", [
+    ("long_ascii_prefix", str),
+    (u'\u4e2d\u56fd\u94f6\u884c\u7f51\u94f6\u52a9\u624b', unicode),
+    ])
+def test_long_short_path_str_unicode(prefix, prefixtype):
+    """Test that get_short_path/get_long_path works with str/unicode path and preserve path type"""
+    assert isinstance(prefix, prefixtype)
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(prefix=prefix) as f:
+        basename = f.name.lower()
+        assert isinstance(basename, prefixtype)
+        short_name = windows.utils.get_short_path(basename).lower()
+        assert isinstance(short_name, prefixtype)
+        assert short_name != basename
+        full_name = windows.utils.get_long_path(short_name).lower()
+        assert isinstance(full_name, prefixtype)
+        assert full_name == basename
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/windows/utils/winutils.py b/windows/utils/winutils.py
index be301a9..8c4617d 100644
--- a/windows/utils/winutils.py
+++ b/windows/utils/winutils.py
@@ -326,24 +326,38 @@ def ntstatus(code):
 
 
 def get_long_path(path):
-    """Return the long path form for ``path``
+    """Return the long path form for ``path``.
 
-        :returns: :class:`str`
+        :raise: :class:`~windows.winproxy.Kernel32Error` if ``path`` does not exists
+        :param path: a valid Windows path
+        :type path: :class:`str` | :obj:`unicode`
+        :returns: :class:`str` | :obj:`unicode` -- same type as ``path`` parameter
     """
     size = 0x1000
-    buffer = ctypes.c_buffer(size)
-    rsize = winproxy.GetLongPathNameA(path, buffer, size)
+    if isinstance(path, unicode):
+        buffer = ctypes.create_unicode_buffer(size)
+        rsize = winproxy.GetLongPathNameW(path, buffer, size)
+    else:
+        buffer = ctypes.c_buffer(size)
+        rsize = winproxy.GetLongPathNameA(path, buffer, size)
     return buffer[:rsize]
 
 
 def get_short_path(path):
     """Return the short path form for ``path``
 
-        :returns: :class:`str`
+        :raise: :class:`~windows.winproxy.Kernel32Error` if ``path`` does not exists
+        :param path: a valid Windows path
+        :type path: :class:`str` | :obj:`unicode`
+        :returns: :class:`str` | :obj:`unicode` -- same type as ``path`` parameter
     """
     size = 0x1000
-    buffer = ctypes.c_buffer(size)
-    rsize = winproxy.GetShortPathNameA(path, buffer, size)
+    if isinstance(path, unicode):
+        buffer = ctypes.create_unicode_buffer(size)
+        rsize = winproxy.GetShortPathNameW(path, buffer, size)
+    else:
+        buffer = ctypes.c_buffer(size)
+        rsize = winproxy.GetShortPathNameA(path, buffer, size)
     return buffer[:rsize]
 
 def dospath_to_ntpath(dospath):