diff --git a/src/tools/msbuild.cpp b/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
index 7742262..285ba46 100644
--- a/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ int msbuild::result() const
 
 void msbuild::do_run()
 {
-	write_custom_props_file();
-
 	// 14.2 to v142
 	const auto toolset = "v" + replace_all(tools::vs::toolset(), ".", "");
 
@@ -134,27 +132,4 @@ void msbuild::do_run()
 	execute_and_join();
 }
 
-void msbuild::write_custom_props_file()
-{
-	const fs::path file = sln_.parent_path() / "Directory.Build.props";
-	if (fs::exists(file))
-	{
-		cx_->trace(context::generic, "props file {} already exists", file);
-		return;
-	}
-
-	const std::string content = R"(<!-- generated by mob.exe -->
-<Project>
-	<ItemDefinitionGroup>
-		<ClCompile>
-			<DisableSpecificWarnings>4566</DisableSpecificWarnings>
-		</ClCompile>
-	</ItemDefinitionGroup>
-</Project>
-)";
-
-	op::write_text_file(*cx_, file, content);
-
-}
-
 }	// namespace
diff --git a/src/tools/patcher.cpp b/src/tools/patcher.cpp
index 03f7825..56845de 100644
--- a/src/tools/patcher.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/patcher.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ void patcher::do_run()
 
 		cx_->trace(context::generic, "looking for patches in {}", patches);
 
+		if (!fs::exists(patches))
+		{
+			cx_->trace(context::generic,
+				"patch directory {} doesn't exist, assuming no patches",
+				patches);
+
+			return;
+		}
+
 		for (auto e : fs::directory_iterator(patches))
 		{
 			if (!e.is_regular_file())
diff --git a/src/tools/tools.cpp b/src/tools/tools.cpp
index 30e3117..50c1c3f 100644
--- a/src/tools/tools.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/tools.cpp
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ void pip_install::do_run()
 {
 	process_
 		.binary(python::python_exe())
+		.chcp(65001)
+		.stdout_encoding(encodings::utf8)
+		.stderr_encoding(encodings::utf8)
+		.arg("-X", "utf8")
 		.arg("-m", "pip")
 		.arg("install")
 		.arg("--no-warn-script-location")
@@ -136,6 +140,10 @@ void pip_install::do_run()
 	else if (!file_.empty())
 		process_.arg(file_);
 
+	process_
+		.env(this_env::get()
+			.set("PYTHONUTF8", "1"));
+
 	execute_and_join();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/tools.h b/src/tools/tools.h
index 320adbb..bb3b95d 100644
--- a/src/tools/tools.h
+++ b/src/tools/tools.h
@@ -285,8 +285,6 @@ private:
 	std::string platform_;
 	arch arch_;
 	flags_t flags_;
-
-	void write_custom_props_file();
 };