diff --git a/serde/src/de/impls.rs b/serde/src/de/impls.rs
index d179597b..a6240622 100644
--- a/serde/src/de/impls.rs
+++ b/serde/src/de/impls.rs
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ impl Deserialize for path::PathBuf {
     fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: &mut D) -> Result<path::PathBuf, D::Error>
         where D: Deserializer,
     {
-        deserializer.deserialize(PathBufVisitor)
+        deserializer.deserialize_string(PathBufVisitor)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/serde/src/de/mod.rs b/serde/src/de/mod.rs
index c54726bd..e76ab812 100644
--- a/serde/src/de/mod.rs
+++ b/serde/src/de/mod.rs
@@ -406,6 +406,16 @@ pub trait Deserializer {
         self.deserialize_seq(visitor)
     }
 
+    /// This method hints that the `Deserialize` type is expecting some sort of struct key mapping.
+    /// This allows deserializers to choose between &str, usize, or &[u8] to properly deserialize a
+    /// struct key.
+    #[inline]
+    fn deserialize_struct_key<V>(&mut self, visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Self::Error>
+        where V: Visitor,
+    {
+        self.deserialize(visitor)
+    }
+
     /// Specify a format string for the deserializer.
     ///
     /// The deserializer format is used to determine which format
diff --git a/serde_codegen/src/de.rs b/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
index f7deccba..eb5aa700 100644
--- a/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
+++ b/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ fn deserialize_field_visitor(
                     }
                 }
 
-                deserializer.deserialize(__FieldVisitor::<D>{ phantom: PhantomData })
+                deserializer.deserialize_struct_key(__FieldVisitor::<D>{ phantom: PhantomData })
             }
         }
     ).unwrap();
diff --git a/serde_tests/tests/test_de.rs b/serde_tests/tests/test_de.rs
index 0655a493..181b9517 100644
--- a/serde_tests/tests/test_de.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/tests/test_de.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use num::FromPrimitive;
 use num::bigint::{BigInt, BigUint};
@@ -593,4 +594,9 @@ declare_tests! {
             Token::SeqEnd,
         ],
     }
+    test_path_buf {
+        PathBuf::from("/usr/local/lib") => vec![
+            Token::String("/usr/local/lib".to_owned()),
+        ],
+    }
 }
diff --git a/serde_tests/tests/test_ser.rs b/serde_tests/tests/test_ser.rs
index a5947508..7fbae4e4 100644
--- a/serde_tests/tests/test_ser.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/tests/test_ser.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use num::FromPrimitive;
 use num::bigint::{BigInt, BigUint};
@@ -293,4 +294,14 @@ declare_ser_tests! {
             Token::SeqEnd,
         ],
     }
+    test_path {
+        Path::new("/usr/local/lib") => &[
+            Token::Str("/usr/local/lib"),
+        ],
+    }
+    test_path_buf {
+        PathBuf::from("/usr/local/lib") => &[
+            Token::Str("/usr/local/lib"),
+        ],
+    }
 }