diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2022-01-07-22-55-11.bpo-46217.tgJEsB.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2022-01-07-22-55-11.bpo-46217.tgJEsB.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78b3cd01a03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2022-01-07-22-55-11.bpo-46217.tgJEsB.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Removed parameter that is unsupported on Windows 8.1 and early Windows 10
+and may have caused build or runtime failures.
diff --git a/Python/fileutils.c b/Python/fileutils.c
index d570be5577a..151c6feb2eb 100644
--- a/Python/fileutils.c
+++ b/Python/fileutils.c
@@ -2129,7 +2129,7 @@ join_relfile(wchar_t *buffer, size_t bufsize,
 {
 #ifdef MS_WINDOWS
     if (FAILED(PathCchCombineEx(buffer, bufsize, dirname, relfile, 
-        PATHCCH_ALLOW_LONG_PATHS | PATHCCH_FORCE_ENABLE_LONG_NAME_PROCESS))) {
+        PATHCCH_ALLOW_LONG_PATHS))) {
         return -1;
     }
 #else