diff --git a/src/_pytest/cacheprovider.py b/src/_pytest/cacheprovider.py
index 5b262fddc..0d877f14b 100755
--- a/src/_pytest/cacheprovider.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/cacheprovider.py
@@ -14,11 +14,22 @@ import attr
 import pytest
 import json
 from os.path import sep as _sep, altsep as _altsep
-from textwrap import dedent
+import shutil
 
 from . import paths
 from .compat import _PY2 as PY2
 
+README_CONTENT = u"""\
+# pytest cache directory #
+
+This directory contains data from the pytest's cache plugin,
+which provides the `--lf` and `--ff` options, as well as the `cache` fixture.
+
+**Do not** commit this to version control.
+
+See [the docs](https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/cache.html) for more information.
+"""
+
 
 @attr.s
 class Cache(object):
@@ -104,22 +115,10 @@ class Cache(object):
 
     def _ensure_readme(self):
 
-        content_readme = dedent(
-            """\
-        # pytest cache directory #
-
-        This directory contains data from the pytest's cache plugin,
-        which provides the `--lf` and `--ff` options, as well as the `cache` fixture.
-
-        **Do not** commit this to version control.
-
-        See [the docs](https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/cache.html) for more information.
-        """
-        )
-        if self._cachedir.check(dir=True):
-            readme_path = self._cachedir.join("README.md")
-            if not readme_path.check(file=True):
-                readme_path.write(content_readme)
+        if self._cachedir.is_dir():
+            readme_path = self._cachedir / "README.md"
+            if not readme_path.is_file():
+                readme_path.write_text(README_CONTENT)
 
 
 class LFPlugin(object):
@@ -330,7 +329,7 @@ def cacheshow(config, session):
         return 0
     dummy = object()
     basedir = config.cache._cachedir
-    vdir = basedir.joinpath("v")
+    vdir = basedir / "v"
     tw.sep("-", "cache values")
     for valpath in sorted(x for x in vdir.rglob("*") if x.is_file()):
         key = "/".join(valpath.relative_to(vdir).parts)
@@ -342,7 +341,7 @@ def cacheshow(config, session):
             for line in pformat(val).splitlines():
                 tw.line("  " + line)
 
-    ddir = basedir.joinpath("d")
+    ddir = basedir / "d"
     if ddir.is_dir():
         contents = sorted(ddir.rglob("*"))
         tw.sep("-", "cache directories")
diff --git a/testing/test_cacheprovider.py b/testing/test_cacheprovider.py
index 68ed33910..9190aecdd 100644
--- a/testing/test_cacheprovider.py
+++ b/testing/test_cacheprovider.py
@@ -826,8 +826,8 @@ class TestReadme(object):
 
     def check_readme(self, testdir):
         config = testdir.parseconfigure()
-        readme = config.cache._cachedir.join("README.md")
-        return readme.isfile()
+        readme = config.cache._cachedir.joinpath("README.md")
+        return readme.is_file()
 
     def test_readme_passed(self, testdir):
         testdir.makepyfile(