diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
index b5684823bcb..6be50f6f7c8 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/__init__.py
@@ -1093,6 +1093,7 @@ def _getini(self, name: str) -> Any:
                     return ""
                 return []
         if type == "pathlist":
+            assert isinstance(self.inicfg, py.iniconfig._SectionWrapper), self.inicfg
             dp = py.path.local(self.inicfg.config.path).dirpath()
             values = []
             for relpath in shlex.split(value):
diff --git a/src/_pytest/config/findpaths.py b/src/_pytest/config/findpaths.py
index fb84160c1ff..91ef894094e 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/config/findpaths.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/config/findpaths.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import os
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Dict
 from typing import Iterable
 from typing import List
 from typing import Optional
 from typing import Tuple
+from typing import Union
 
 import py
 
@@ -14,6 +15,8 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from . import Config  # noqa: F401
 
+    from py.iniconfig import _SectionWrapper  # noqa: F401
+
 
 def exists(path, ignore=EnvironmentError):
     try:
@@ -22,7 +25,11 @@ def exists(path, ignore=EnvironmentError):
         return False
 
 
-def getcfg(args, config=None):
+def getcfg(
+    args: Iterable[py.path.local], config: Optional["Config"] = None
+) -> Tuple[
+    Optional[py.path.local], Optional[py.path.local], Optional["_SectionWrapper"],
+]:
     """
     Search the list of arguments for a valid ini-file for pytest,
     and return a tuple of (rootdir, inifile, cfg-dict).
@@ -40,7 +47,7 @@ def getcfg(args, config=None):
                 p = base.join(inibasename)
                 if exists(p):
                     try:
-                        iniconfig = py.iniconfig.IniConfig(p)
+                        iniconfig = py.iniconfig.IniConfig(str(p))
                     except py.iniconfig.ParseError as exc:
                         raise UsageError(str(exc))
 
@@ -59,7 +66,7 @@ def getcfg(args, config=None):
                         return base, p, iniconfig["pytest"]
                     elif inibasename == "pytest.ini":
                         # allowed to be empty
-                        return base, p, {}
+                        return base, p, None
     return None, None, None
 
 
@@ -116,11 +123,11 @@ def determine_setup(
     args: List[str],
     rootdir_cmd_arg: Optional[str] = None,
     config: Optional["Config"] = None,
-) -> Tuple[py.path.local, Optional[str], Any]:
+) -> Tuple[py.path.local, Optional[py.path.local], Union["_SectionWrapper", Dict]]:
     dirs = get_dirs_from_args(args)
     if inifile:
         iniconfig = py.iniconfig.IniConfig(inifile)
-        is_cfg_file = str(inifile).endswith(".cfg")
+        is_cfg_file = inifile.endswith(".cfg")
         sections = ["tool:pytest", "pytest"] if is_cfg_file else ["pytest"]
         for section in sections:
             try:
@@ -128,26 +135,25 @@ def determine_setup(
                     section
                 ]  # type: Optional[py.iniconfig._SectionWrapper]
                 if is_cfg_file and section == "pytest" and config is not None:
-                    fail(
-                        CFG_PYTEST_SECTION.format(filename=str(inifile)), pytrace=False
-                    )
+                    fail(CFG_PYTEST_SECTION.format(filename=inifile), pytrace=False)
                 break
             except KeyError:
                 inicfg = None
         if rootdir_cmd_arg is None:
             rootdir = get_common_ancestor(dirs)
+        ret_inifile = py.path.local(inifile)  # type: Optional[py.path.local]
     else:
         ancestor = get_common_ancestor(dirs)
-        rootdir, inifile, inicfg = getcfg([ancestor], config=config)
-        if rootdir is None and rootdir_cmd_arg is None:
+        possible_rootdir, ret_inifile, inicfg = getcfg([ancestor], config=config)
+        if possible_rootdir is None and rootdir_cmd_arg is None:
             for possible_rootdir in ancestor.parts(reverse=True):
                 if possible_rootdir.join("setup.py").exists():
                     rootdir = possible_rootdir
                     break
             else:
                 if dirs != [ancestor]:
-                    rootdir, inifile, inicfg = getcfg(dirs, config=config)
-                if rootdir is None:
+                    possible_rootdir, ret_inifile, inicfg = getcfg(dirs, config=config)
+                if possible_rootdir is None:
                     if config is not None:
                         cwd = config.invocation_dir
                     else:
@@ -164,4 +170,4 @@ def determine_setup(
                     rootdir
                 )
             )
-    return rootdir, inifile, inicfg or {}
+    return rootdir, ret_inifile, inicfg or {}