diff --git a/src/fsutil/archives.py b/src/fsutil/archives.py
index c7531cd..3c52a58 100644
--- a/src/fsutil/archives.py
+++ b/src/fsutil/archives.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def extract_tar_file(
     | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
-    Extract tar file at path to dest path.
+    Extract a plain or compressed tar file at path to dest path.
     If autodelete, the archive will be deleted after extraction.
     If content_paths list is defined,
     only listed items will be extracted, otherwise all.
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def extract_tar_file(
     assert_file(path)
     assert_not_file(dest)
     make_dirs(dest)
-    with tarfile.TarFile(path, "r") as file:
+    with tarfile.open(path, "r:*") as file:
         if sys.version_info < (3, 12):
             file.extractall(dest, members=content_paths)
         else:
diff --git a/tests/test_archives.py b/tests/test_archives.py
index acd1abc..2d15bbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_archives.py
+++ b/tests/test_archives.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import tarfile
+
 import pytest
 
 import fsutil
@@ -89,7 +91,8 @@ def test_extract_zip_file_with_autodelete(temp_path):
     assert not fsutil.is_file(zip_path)
 
 
-def test_extract_tar_file(temp_path):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("compression", ["", "gz", "bz2", "xz"])
+def test_extract_tar_file(temp_path, compression):
     tar_path = temp_path("archive.tar")
     untar_path = temp_path("unarchive/")
     f1_path = temp_path("a/b/f1.txt")
@@ -105,7 +108,11 @@ def test_extract_tar_file(temp_path):
     fsutil.create_file(f4_path, content="hello world 4")
     fsutil.create_file(f5_path, content="hello world 5")
     fsutil.create_file(f6_path, content="hello world 6")
-    fsutil.create_tar_file(tar_path, [f1_path, f2_path, f3_path, f4_path, f5_f6_dir])
+    fsutil.create_tar_file(
+        tar_path,
+        [f1_path, f2_path, f3_path, f4_path, f5_f6_dir],
+        compression=compression,
+    )
     fsutil.extract_tar_file(tar_path, untar_path)
     assert fsutil.is_dir(untar_path)
     assert fsutil.is_file(temp_path("unarchive/f1.txt"))
@@ -117,17 +124,33 @@ def test_extract_tar_file(temp_path):
     assert fsutil.is_file(tar_path)
 
 
-def test_extract_tar_file_with_autodelete(temp_path):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("compression", ["", "gz", "bz2", "xz"])
+def test_extract_tar_file_with_autodelete(temp_path, compression):
     tar_path = temp_path("archive.tar")
     untar_path = temp_path("unarchive/")
     path = temp_path("f1.txt")
     fsutil.create_file(path, content="hello world 1")
-    fsutil.create_tar_file(tar_path, [path])
+    fsutil.create_tar_file(tar_path, [path], compression=compression)
     fsutil.extract_tar_file(tar_path, untar_path, autodelete=True)
     assert fsutil.is_dir(untar_path)
     assert fsutil.is_file(temp_path("unarchive/f1.txt"))
     assert not fsutil.is_file(tar_path)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("compression", ["", "gz", "bz2", "xz"])
+def test_extract_tar_file_selected_members(temp_path, compression):
+    tar_path = temp_path("archive.tar")
+    paths = [temp_path("first.txt"), temp_path("second.txt")]
+    for path in paths:
+        fsutil.create_file(path, content="hello world")
+    fsutil.create_tar_file(tar_path, paths, compression=compression)
+    with tarfile.open(tar_path) as archive:
+        members = [archive.getmember("second.txt")]
+    fsutil.extract_tar_file(tar_path, temp_path("output"), content_paths=members)
+    # These are pytest assertions, not runtime security checks.
+    assert not fsutil.exists(temp_path("output/first.txt"))  # nosec B101
+    assert fsutil.read_file(temp_path("output/second.txt")) == "hello world"  # nosec B101
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     pytest.main()