diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 27e1a2e79cd135..fae2857e3fc759 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ const EventEmitter = require('events');
 const FSReqWrap = binding.FSReqWrap;
 const FSEvent = process.binding('fs_event_wrap').FSEvent;
 const internalFS = require('internal/fs');
+const internalURL = require('internal/url');
 const assertEncoding = internalFS.assertEncoding;
 const stringToFlags = internalFS.stringToFlags;
 const SyncWriteStream = internalFS.SyncWriteStream;
+const getPathFromURL = internalURL.getPathFromURL;
 
 Object.defineProperty(exports, 'constants', {
   configurable: false,
@@ -202,6 +204,16 @@ fs.Stats.prototype.isSocket = function() {
   });
 });
 
+function handleError(val, callback) {
+  if (val instanceof Error) {
+    if (typeof callback === 'function') {
+      process.nextTick(callback, val);
+      return true;
+    } else throw val;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 fs.access = function(path, mode, callback) {
   if (typeof mode === 'function') {
     callback = mode;
@@ -210,6 +222,9 @@ fs.access = function(path, mode, callback) {
     throw new TypeError('"callback" argument must be a function');
   }
 
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
+
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback))
     return;
 
@@ -220,6 +235,7 @@ fs.access = function(path, mode, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.accessSync = function(path, mode) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
 
   if (mode === undefined)
@@ -231,6 +247,8 @@ fs.accessSync = function(path, mode) {
 };
 
 fs.exists = function(path, callback) {
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), cb))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, cb)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = cb;
@@ -242,6 +260,7 @@ fs.exists = function(path, callback) {
 
 fs.existsSync = function(path) {
   try {
+    handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
     nullCheck(path);
     binding.stat(pathModule._makeLong(path));
     return true;
@@ -254,6 +273,8 @@ fs.readFile = function(path, options, callback) {
   callback = maybeCallback(arguments[arguments.length - 1]);
   options = getOptions(options, { flag: 'r' });
 
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback))
     return;
 
@@ -537,6 +558,8 @@ fs.open = function(path, flags, mode, callback_) {
   var callback = makeCallback(arguments[arguments.length - 1]);
   mode = modeNum(mode, 0o666);
 
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
 
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
@@ -550,6 +573,7 @@ fs.open = function(path, flags, mode, callback_) {
 
 fs.openSync = function(path, flags, mode) {
   mode = modeNum(mode, 0o666);
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.open(pathModule._makeLong(path), stringToFlags(flags), mode);
 };
@@ -645,6 +669,12 @@ fs.writeSync = function(fd, buffer, offset, length, position) {
 
 fs.rename = function(oldPath, newPath, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((oldPath = getPathFromURL(oldPath)), callback))
+    return;
+
+  if (handleError((newPath = getPathFromURL(newPath)), callback))
+    return;
+
   if (!nullCheck(oldPath, callback)) return;
   if (!nullCheck(newPath, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
@@ -655,6 +685,8 @@ fs.rename = function(oldPath, newPath, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.renameSync = function(oldPath, newPath) {
+  handleError((oldPath = getPathFromURL(oldPath)));
+  handleError((newPath = getPathFromURL(newPath)));
   nullCheck(oldPath);
   nullCheck(newPath);
   return binding.rename(pathModule._makeLong(oldPath),
@@ -726,6 +758,8 @@ fs.ftruncateSync = function(fd, len) {
 
 fs.rmdir = function(path, callback) {
   callback = maybeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -733,6 +767,7 @@ fs.rmdir = function(path, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.rmdirSync = function(path) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.rmdir(pathModule._makeLong(path));
 };
@@ -760,6 +795,8 @@ fs.fsyncSync = function(fd) {
 fs.mkdir = function(path, mode, callback) {
   if (typeof mode === 'function') callback = mode;
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -769,6 +806,7 @@ fs.mkdir = function(path, mode, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.mkdirSync = function(path, mode) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.mkdir(pathModule._makeLong(path),
                        modeNum(mode, 0o777));
@@ -777,6 +815,8 @@ fs.mkdirSync = function(path, mode) {
 fs.readdir = function(path, options, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback);
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -785,6 +825,7 @@ fs.readdir = function(path, options, callback) {
 
 fs.readdirSync = function(path, options) {
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.readdir(pathModule._makeLong(path), options.encoding);
 };
@@ -797,6 +838,8 @@ fs.fstat = function(fd, callback) {
 
 fs.lstat = function(path, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -805,6 +848,8 @@ fs.lstat = function(path, callback) {
 
 fs.stat = function(path, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -816,11 +861,13 @@ fs.fstatSync = function(fd) {
 };
 
 fs.lstatSync = function(path) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.lstat(pathModule._makeLong(path));
 };
 
 fs.statSync = function(path) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.stat(pathModule._makeLong(path));
 };
@@ -828,6 +875,8 @@ fs.statSync = function(path) {
 fs.readlink = function(path, options, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback);
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -836,6 +885,7 @@ fs.readlink = function(path, options, callback) {
 
 fs.readlinkSync = function(path, options) {
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.readlink(pathModule._makeLong(path), options.encoding);
 };
@@ -859,6 +909,12 @@ fs.symlink = function(target, path, type_, callback_) {
   var type = (typeof type_ === 'string' ? type_ : null);
   var callback = makeCallback(arguments[arguments.length - 1]);
 
+  if (handleError((target = getPathFromURL(target)), callback))
+    return;
+
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
+
   if (!nullCheck(target, callback)) return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
 
@@ -873,7 +929,8 @@ fs.symlink = function(target, path, type_, callback_) {
 
 fs.symlinkSync = function(target, path, type) {
   type = (typeof type === 'string' ? type : null);
-
+  handleError((target = getPathFromURL(target)));
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(target);
   nullCheck(path);
 
@@ -884,6 +941,13 @@ fs.symlinkSync = function(target, path, type) {
 
 fs.link = function(existingPath, newPath, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+
+  if (handleError((existingPath = getPathFromURL(existingPath)), callback))
+    return;
+
+  if (handleError((newPath = getPathFromURL(newPath)), callback))
+    return;
+
   if (!nullCheck(existingPath, callback)) return;
   if (!nullCheck(newPath, callback)) return;
 
@@ -896,6 +960,8 @@ fs.link = function(existingPath, newPath, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.linkSync = function(existingPath, newPath) {
+  handleError((existingPath = getPathFromURL(existingPath)));
+  handleError((newPath = getPathFromURL(newPath)));
   nullCheck(existingPath);
   nullCheck(newPath);
   return binding.link(pathModule._makeLong(existingPath),
@@ -904,6 +970,8 @@ fs.linkSync = function(existingPath, newPath) {
 
 fs.unlink = function(path, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -911,6 +979,7 @@ fs.unlink = function(path, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.unlinkSync = function(path) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.unlink(pathModule._makeLong(path));
 };
@@ -967,6 +1036,8 @@ if (constants.hasOwnProperty('O_SYMLINK')) {
 
 fs.chmod = function(path, mode, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -976,6 +1047,7 @@ fs.chmod = function(path, mode, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.chmodSync = function(path, mode) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.chmod(pathModule._makeLong(path), modeNum(mode));
 };
@@ -1010,6 +1082,8 @@ fs.fchownSync = function(fd, uid, gid) {
 
 fs.chown = function(path, uid, gid, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -1017,6 +1091,7 @@ fs.chown = function(path, uid, gid, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.chownSync = function(path, uid, gid) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   return binding.chown(pathModule._makeLong(path), uid, gid);
 };
@@ -1044,6 +1119,8 @@ fs._toUnixTimestamp = toUnixTimestamp;
 
 fs.utimes = function(path, atime, mtime, callback) {
   callback = makeCallback(callback);
+  if (handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(path, callback)) return;
   var req = new FSReqWrap();
   req.oncomplete = callback;
@@ -1054,6 +1131,7 @@ fs.utimes = function(path, atime, mtime, callback) {
 };
 
 fs.utimesSync = function(path, atime, mtime) {
+  handleError((path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   nullCheck(path);
   atime = toUnixTimestamp(atime);
   mtime = toUnixTimestamp(mtime);
@@ -1214,6 +1292,7 @@ FSWatcher.prototype.start = function(filename,
                                      persistent,
                                      recursive,
                                      encoding) {
+  handleError((filename = getPathFromURL(filename)));
   nullCheck(filename);
   var err = this._handle.start(pathModule._makeLong(filename),
                                persistent,
@@ -1232,6 +1311,7 @@ FSWatcher.prototype.close = function() {
 };
 
 fs.watch = function(filename, options, listener) {
+  handleError((filename = getPathFromURL(filename)));
   nullCheck(filename);
 
   if (typeof options === 'function') {
@@ -1292,6 +1372,7 @@ util.inherits(StatWatcher, EventEmitter);
 
 
 StatWatcher.prototype.start = function(filename, persistent, interval) {
+  handleError((filename = getPathFromURL(filename)));
   nullCheck(filename);
   this._handle.start(pathModule._makeLong(filename), persistent, interval);
 };
@@ -1305,6 +1386,7 @@ StatWatcher.prototype.stop = function() {
 const statWatchers = new Map();
 
 fs.watchFile = function(filename, options, listener) {
+  handleError((filename = getPathFromURL(filename)));
   nullCheck(filename);
   filename = pathModule.resolve(filename);
   var stat;
@@ -1341,6 +1423,7 @@ fs.watchFile = function(filename, options, listener) {
 };
 
 fs.unwatchFile = function(filename, listener) {
+  handleError((filename = getPathFromURL(filename)));
   nullCheck(filename);
   filename = pathModule.resolve(filename);
   var stat = statWatchers.get(filename);
@@ -1384,6 +1467,7 @@ function encodeRealpathResult(result, options) {
 
 fs.realpathSync = function realpathSync(p, options) {
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  handleError((p = getPathFromURL(p)));
   nullCheck(p);
 
   p = p.toString('utf8');
@@ -1487,6 +1571,8 @@ fs.realpathSync = function realpathSync(p, options) {
 fs.realpath = function realpath(p, options, callback) {
   callback = maybeCallback(typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback);
   options = getOptions(options, {});
+  if (handleError((p = getPathFromURL(p)), callback))
+    return;
   if (!nullCheck(p, callback))
     return;
 
@@ -1645,7 +1731,7 @@ function ReadStream(path, options) {
 
   Readable.call(this, options);
 
-  this.path = path;
+  handleError((this.path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   this.fd = options.fd === undefined ? null : options.fd;
   this.flags = options.flags === undefined ? 'r' : options.flags;
   this.mode = options.mode === undefined ? 0o666 : options.mode;
@@ -1808,7 +1894,7 @@ function WriteStream(path, options) {
 
   Writable.call(this, options);
 
-  this.path = path;
+  handleError((this.path = getPathFromURL(path)));
   this.fd = options.fd === undefined ? null : options.fd;
   this.flags = options.flags === undefined ? 'w' : options.flags;
   this.mode = options.mode === undefined ? 0o666 : options.mode;
diff --git a/lib/internal/url.js b/lib/internal/url.js
index 3fe6e106d5b1fa..49444880d1f491 100644
--- a/lib/internal/url.js
+++ b/lib/internal/url.js
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ const cannotBeBase = Symbol('cannot-be-base');
 const special = Symbol('special');
 const searchParams = Symbol('query');
 const querystring = require('querystring');
+const os = require('os');
+
+const isWindows = process.platform === 'win32';
 
 const kScheme = Symbol('scheme');
 const kHost = Symbol('host');
@@ -1112,6 +1115,66 @@ function urlToOptions(url) {
   return options;
 }
 
+function getPathFromURLWin32(url) {
+  var hostname = url.hostname;
+  var pathname = url.pathname;
+  for (var n = 0; n < pathname.length; n++) {
+    if (pathname[n] === '%') {
+      var third = pathname.codePointAt(n + 2) | 0x20;
+      if ((pathname[n + 1] === '2' && third === 102) || // 2f 2F /
+          (pathname[n + 1] === '5' && third === 99)) {  // 5c 5C \
+        return new Error('Path must not include encoded \\ or / characters');
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  pathname = decodeURIComponent(pathname);
+  if (hostname !== '') {
+    // If hostname is set, then we have a UNC path
+    // Pass the hostname through domainToUnicode just in case
+    // it is an IDN using punycode encoding. We do not need to worry
+    // about percent encoding because the URL parser will have
+    // already taken care of that for us. Note that this only
+    // causes IDNs with an appropriate `xn--` prefix to be decoded.
+    return `//${domainToUnicode(hostname)}${pathname}`;
+  } else {
+    // Otherwise, it's a local path that requires a drive letter
+    var letter = pathname.codePointAt(1) | 0x20;
+    var sep = pathname[2];
+    if (letter < 97 || letter > 122 ||   // a..z A..Z
+        (sep !== ':')) {
+      return new Error('File URLs must specify absolute paths');
+    }
+    return pathname.slice(1);
+  }
+}
+
+function getPathFromURLPosix(url) {
+  if (url.hostname !== '') {
+    return new Error(
+      `File URLs on ${os.platform()} must use hostname 'localhost'` +
+      ' or not specify any hostname');
+  }
+  var pathname = url.pathname;
+  for (var n = 0; n < pathname.length; n++) {
+    if (pathname[n] === '%') {
+      var third = pathname.codePointAt(n + 2) | 0x20;
+      if (pathname[n + 1] === '2' && third === 102) {
+        return new Error('Path must not include encoded / characters');
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return decodeURIComponent(pathname);
+}
+
+function getPathFromURL(path) {
+  if (!(path instanceof URL))
+    return path;
+  if (path.protocol !== 'file:')
+    return new Error('Only `file:` URLs are supported');
+  return isWindows ? getPathFromURLWin32(path) : getPathFromURLPosix(path);
+}
+
+exports.getPathFromURL = getPathFromURL;
 exports.URL = URL;
 exports.URLSearchParams = URLSearchParams;
 exports.domainToASCII = domainToASCII;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-null-bytes.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-null-bytes.js
index fa29e64c9b2382..39768489fbee6d 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-null-bytes.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-null-bytes.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
+const URL = require('url').URL;
 
 function check(async, sync) {
   const expected = /Path must be a string without null bytes/;
@@ -48,6 +49,62 @@ check(null, fs.watch, 'foo\u0000bar', common.fail);
 check(null, fs.watchFile, 'foo\u0000bar', common.fail);
 check(fs.writeFile, fs.writeFileSync, 'foo\u0000bar');
 
+check(fs.access, fs.accessSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.access, fs.accessSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), fs.F_OK);
+check(fs.appendFile, fs.appendFileSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.chmod, fs.chmodSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), '0644');
+check(fs.chown, fs.chownSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 12, 34);
+check(fs.link, fs.linkSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.link, fs.linkSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.lstat, fs.lstatSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.mkdir, fs.mkdirSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), '0755');
+check(fs.open, fs.openSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 'r');
+check(fs.readFile, fs.readFileSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.readdir, fs.readdirSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.readlink, fs.readlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.realpath, fs.realpathSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.rename, fs.renameSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.rename, fs.renameSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.rmdir, fs.rmdirSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.stat, fs.statSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.symlink, fs.symlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.symlink, fs.symlinkSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.truncate, fs.truncateSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(fs.unlink, fs.unlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+check(null, fs.unwatchFile, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), common.fail);
+check(fs.utimes, fs.utimesSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), 0, 0);
+check(null, fs.watch, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), common.fail);
+check(null, fs.watchFile, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'), common.fail);
+check(fs.writeFile, fs.writeFileSync, new URL('file:///foo\u0000bar'));
+
+check(fs.access, fs.accessSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.access, fs.accessSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), fs.F_OK);
+check(fs.appendFile, fs.appendFileSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.chmod, fs.chmodSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), '0644');
+check(fs.chown, fs.chownSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 12, 34);
+check(fs.link, fs.linkSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.link, fs.linkSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.lstat, fs.lstatSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.mkdir, fs.mkdirSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), '0755');
+check(fs.open, fs.openSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 'r');
+check(fs.readFile, fs.readFileSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.readdir, fs.readdirSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.readlink, fs.readlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.realpath, fs.realpathSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.rename, fs.renameSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.rename, fs.renameSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.rmdir, fs.rmdirSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.stat, fs.statSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.symlink, fs.symlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 'foobar');
+check(fs.symlink, fs.symlinkSync, 'foobar', new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.truncate, fs.truncateSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(fs.unlink, fs.unlinkSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+check(null, fs.unwatchFile, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), common.fail);
+check(fs.utimes, fs.utimesSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), 0, 0);
+check(null, fs.watch, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), common.fail);
+check(null, fs.watchFile, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'), common.fail);
+check(fs.writeFile, fs.writeFileSync, new URL('file:///foo%00bar'));
+
 // an 'error' for exists means that it doesn't exist.
 // one of many reasons why this file is the absolute worst.
 fs.exists('foo\u0000bar', common.mustCall((exists) => {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-whatwg-url.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-whatwg-url.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..7a94fd68d7e4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-whatwg-url.js
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const URL = require('url').URL;
+const Buffer = require('buffer').Buffer;
+
+function pathToFileURL(p) {
+  if (!path.isAbsolute(p))
+    throw new Error('Path must be absolute');
+  if (common.isWindows && p.startsWith('\\\\'))
+    p = p.slice(2);
+  return new URL(`file://${p}`);
+}
+
+const p = path.resolve(common.fixturesDir, 'a.js');
+const url = pathToFileURL(p);
+
+assert(url instanceof URL);
+
+// Check that we can pass in a URL object successfully
+fs.readFile(url, common.mustCall((err, data) => {
+  assert.ifError(err);
+  assert(Buffer.isBuffer(data));
+}));
+
+// Check that using a non file:// URL reports an error
+const httpUrl = new URL('http://example.org');
+fs.readFile(httpUrl, common.mustCall((err) => {
+  assert(err);
+  assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+                     'Only `file:` URLs are supported');
+}));
+
+// pct-encoded characters in the path will be decoded and checked
+fs.readFile(new URL('file:///c:/tmp/%00test'), common.mustCall((err) => {
+  assert(err);
+  assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+                     'Path must be a string without null bytes');
+}));
+
+if (common.isWindows) {
+  // encoded back and forward slashes are not permitted on windows
+  ['%2f', '%2F', '%5c', '%5C'].forEach((i) => {
+    fs.readFile(new URL(`file:///c:/tmp/${i}`), common.mustCall((err) => {
+      assert(err);
+      assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+                         'Path must not include encoded \\ or / characters');
+    }));
+  });
+} else {
+  // encoded forward slashes are not permitted on other platforms
+  ['%2f', '%2F'].forEach((i) => {
+    fs.readFile(new URL(`file:///c:/tmp/${i}`), common.mustCall((err) => {
+      assert(err);
+      assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+                         'Path must not include encoded / characters');
+    }));
+  });
+
+  fs.readFile(new URL('file://hostname/a/b/c'), common.mustCall((err) => {
+    assert(err);
+    assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+                       `File URLs on ${os.platform()} must use ` +
+                       'hostname \'localhost\' or not specify any hostname');
+  }));
+}