diff --git a/Lib/tarfile.py b/Lib/tarfile.py
index 2c06f9160c658a..f9579e4c846a32 100755
--- a/Lib/tarfile.py
+++ b/Lib/tarfile.py
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, mode, comptype, fileobj, bufsize):
             fileobj = _StreamProxy(fileobj)
             comptype = fileobj.getcomptype()
 
-        self.name     = name or ""
+        self.name     = os.fspath(name) if name else ""
         self.mode     = mode
         self.comptype = comptype
         self.fileobj  = fileobj
@@ -1454,6 +1454,7 @@ def __init__(self, name=None, mode="r", fileobj=None, format=None,
         self.mode = mode
         self._mode = modes[mode]
 
+        name = os.fspath(name) if name else None
         if not fileobj:
             if self.mode == "a" and not os.path.exists(name):
                 # Create nonexistent files in append mode.
@@ -1468,6 +1469,7 @@ def __init__(self, name=None, mode="r", fileobj=None, format=None,
             if hasattr(fileobj, "mode"):
                 self._mode = fileobj.mode
             self._extfileobj = True
+
         self.name = os.path.abspath(name) if name else None
         self.fileobj = fileobj
 
@@ -1938,6 +1940,7 @@ def add(self, name, arcname=None, recursive=True, *, filter=None):
            excluded from the archive.
         """
         self._check("awx")
+        name = os.fspath(name)
 
         if arcname is None:
             arcname = name
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py b/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
index 7e32cbccd6c56d..c4a51be8c86306 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
@@ -1368,7 +1368,7 @@ def write(self, data):
 
             f = BadFile()
             with self.assertRaises(exctype):
-                tar = tarfile.open(tmpname, self.mode, fileobj=f,
+                tarfile.open(tmpname, self.mode, fileobj=f,
                                    format=tarfile.PAX_FORMAT,
                                    pax_headers={'non': 'empty'})
             self.assertFalse(f.closed)
@@ -1421,6 +1421,12 @@ def test_file_mode(self):
         finally:
             os.umask(original_umask)
 
+    def test_open_by_path_object(self):
+        # Test for issue #37144:
+        # broken open for stream write by path-like object
+        with tarfile.open(pathlib.Path(tmpname), self.mode):
+            pass
+
 class GzipStreamWriteTest(GzipTest, StreamWriteTest):
     pass
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-06-04-16-50-56.bpo-37144.Yu8j2L.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-06-04-16-50-56.bpo-37144.Yu8j2L.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..c716f92b97297f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-06-04-16-50-56.bpo-37144.Yu8j2L.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Now `tarfile.open(path, 'w|gz')` works for path-like objects
\ No newline at end of file