diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 70ee924a3a8..dd30ba9b3e0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -915,10 +915,18 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
         return (uid, gid)
 
     def find_mount_point(self, path):
-        path = os.path.realpath(os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(path)))
-        while not os.path.ismount(path):
-            path = os.path.dirname(path)
-        return path
+        path_is_bytes = False
+        if isinstance(path, binary_type):
+            path_is_bytes = True
+
+        b_path = os.path.realpath(to_bytes(os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(path)), errors='surrogate_or_strict'))
+        while not os.path.ismount(b_path):
+            b_path = os.path.dirname(b_path)
+
+        if path_is_bytes:
+            return b_path
+
+        return to_text(b_path, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
 
     def is_special_selinux_path(self, path):
         """
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/stat.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/stat.py
index 508791ea182..bea898be507 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/stat.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/stat.py
@@ -477,11 +477,11 @@ def main():
 
     # resolved permissions
     for perm in [('readable', os.R_OK), ('writeable', os.W_OK), ('executable', os.X_OK)]:
-        output[perm[0]] = os.access(path, perm[1])
+        output[perm[0]] = os.access(b_path, perm[1])
 
     # symlink info
     if output.get('islnk'):
-        output['lnk_source'] = os.path.realpath(path)
+        output['lnk_source'] = os.path.realpath(b_path)
 
     try: # user data
         pw = pwd.getpwuid(st.st_uid)
@@ -500,19 +500,19 @@ def main():
         if get_md5:
             # Will fail on FIPS-140 compliant systems
             try:
-                output['md5'] = module.md5(path)
+                output['md5'] = module.md5(b_path)
             except ValueError:
                 output['md5'] = None
 
         if get_checksum:
-            output['checksum'] = module.digest_from_file(path, checksum_algorithm)
+            output['checksum'] = module.digest_from_file(b_path, checksum_algorithm)
 
     # try to get mime data if requested
     if get_mime:
         output['mimetype'] = output['charset'] = 'unknown'
         mimecmd = module.get_bin_path('file')
         if mimecmd:
-            mimecmd = [mimecmd, '-i', path]
+            mimecmd = [mimecmd, '-i', b_path]
             try:
                 rc, out, err = module.run_command(mimecmd)
                 if rc == 0:
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ def main():
         output['version'] = None
         output['attributes'] = []
         output['attr_flags'] = ''
-        out = module.get_file_attributes(path)
+        out = module.get_file_attributes(b_path)
         for x in ('version', 'attributes', 'attr_flags'):
             if x in out:
                 output[x] = out[x]
diff --git a/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py b/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
index 526dca1c9cd..00cb013c78a 100644
--- a/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
+++ b/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ class TestModuleUtilsBasic(ModuleTestCase):
         )
 
         def _mock_ismount(path):
-            if path == '/':
+            if path == b'/':
                 return True
             return False
 
@@ -655,7 +655,9 @@ class TestModuleUtilsBasic(ModuleTestCase):
             self.assertEqual(am.find_mount_point('/root/fs/../mounted/path/to/whatever'), '/')
 
         def _mock_ismount(path):
-            if path == '/subdir/mount':
+            if path == b'/subdir/mount':
+                return True
+            if path == b'/':
                 return True
             return False