diff --git a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/file/file_asset.rs b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/file/file_asset.rs
index 58ae546e7f..bbbf9f9215 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/file/file_asset.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/file/file_asset.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ impl AssetReader for FileAssetReader {
         let full_path = self.root_path.join(path);
         File::open(&full_path).await.map_err(|e| {
             if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound {
-                AssetReaderError::NotFound(full_path)
+                AssetReaderError::NotFound(full_path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
             } else {
                 e.into()
             }
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ impl AssetReader for FileAssetReader {
         let full_path = self.root_path.join(meta_path);
         File::open(&full_path).await.map_err(|e| {
             if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound {
-                AssetReaderError::NotFound(full_path)
+                AssetReaderError::NotFound(full_path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
             } else {
                 e.into()
             }
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ impl AssetReader for FileAssetReader {
             }
             Err(e) => {
                 if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound {
-                    Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(full_path))
+                    Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(
+                        full_path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned(),
+                    ))
                 } else {
                     Err(e.into())
                 }
@@ -102,9 +104,9 @@ impl AssetReader for FileAssetReader {
 
     async fn is_directory<'a>(&'a self, path: &'a Path) -> Result<bool, AssetReaderError> {
         let full_path = self.root_path.join(path);
-        let metadata = full_path
-            .metadata()
-            .map_err(|_e| AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_owned()))?;
+        let metadata = full_path.metadata().map_err(|_e| {
+            AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
+        })?;
         Ok(metadata.file_type().is_dir())
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/memory.rs b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/memory.rs
index 4c56057ff9..220f73ee90 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/memory.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/memory.rs
@@ -294,7 +294,9 @@ impl AssetReader for MemoryAssetReader {
                 data,
                 bytes_read: 0,
             })
-            .ok_or_else(|| AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf()))
+            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
+            })
     }
 
     async fn read_meta<'a>(&'a self, path: &'a Path) -> Result<impl Reader + 'a, AssetReaderError> {
@@ -304,7 +306,9 @@ impl AssetReader for MemoryAssetReader {
                 data,
                 bytes_read: 0,
             })
-            .ok_or_else(|| AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf()))
+            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
+            })
     }
 
     async fn read_directory<'a>(
@@ -317,7 +321,9 @@ impl AssetReader for MemoryAssetReader {
                 let stream: Box<PathStream> = Box::new(DirStream::new(dir));
                 stream
             })
-            .ok_or_else(|| AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf()))
+            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
+            })
     }
 
     async fn is_directory<'a>(&'a self, path: &'a Path) -> Result<bool, AssetReaderError> {
diff --git a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/mod.rs b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/mod.rs
index aa7256bbd9..a9b86058ed 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/mod.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 #[derive(Error, Debug, Clone)]
 pub enum AssetReaderError {
     /// Path not found.
-    #[error("Path not found: {}", _0.display())]
-    NotFound(PathBuf),
+    #[error("Path not found: {}", _0)]
+    NotFound(alloc::string::String),
 
     /// Encountered an I/O error while loading an asset.
     #[error("Encountered an I/O error while loading asset: {0}")]
diff --git a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/processor_gated.rs b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/processor_gated.rs
index da439f56f5..d9820f1178 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/processor_gated.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_asset/src/io/processor_gated.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use alloc::{borrow::ToOwned, boxed::Box, sync::Arc, vec::Vec};
 use async_lock::RwLockReadGuardArc;
 use core::{pin::Pin, task::Poll};
 use futures_io::AsyncRead;
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use tracing::trace;
 
 use super::{AsyncSeekForward, ErasedAssetReader};
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ impl ProcessorGatedReader {
         path: &AssetPath<'static>,
     ) -> Result<RwLockReadGuardArc<()>, AssetReaderError> {
         let infos = self.processor_data.asset_infos.read().await;
-        let info = infos
-            .get(path)
-            .ok_or_else(|| AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.path().to_owned()))?;
+        let info = infos.get(path).ok_or_else(|| {
+            AssetReaderError::NotFound(PathBuf::from(path.path()).to_str().unwrap().to_owned())
+        })?;
         Ok(info.file_transaction_lock.read_arc().await)
     }
 }
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ impl AssetReader for ProcessorGatedReader {
         match process_result {
             ProcessStatus::Processed => {}
             ProcessStatus::Failed | ProcessStatus::NonExistent => {
-                return Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_owned()));
+                return Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(
+                    path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned(),
+                ));
             }
         }
         trace!("Processing finished with {asset_path}, reading {process_result:?}",);
@@ -81,7 +83,9 @@ impl AssetReader for ProcessorGatedReader {
         match process_result {
             ProcessStatus::Processed => {}
             ProcessStatus::Failed | ProcessStatus::NonExistent => {
-                return Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(path.to_owned()));
+                return Err(AssetReaderError::NotFound(
+                    path.to_path_buf().to_str().unwrap().to_owned(),
+                ));
             }
         }
         trace!("Processing finished with {process_result:?}, reading meta for {asset_path}",);