diff --git a/aqt/__init__.py b/aqt/__init__.py
index 440f03030..76e24bcbd 100644
--- a/aqt/__init__.py
+++ b/aqt/__init__.py
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 # Copyright: Damien Elmes <anki@ichi2.net>
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 import getpass
+import os
+import sys
+import optparse
+import tempfile
+import __builtin__
+import locale
+import gettext
 
-import os, sys, optparse, atexit, tempfile, __builtin__
 from aqt.qt import *
-import locale, gettext
 import anki.lang
 from anki.consts import HELP_SITE
 from anki.lang import langDir
@@ -157,6 +162,7 @@ class AnkiApp(QApplication):
             sys.stderr.write(sock.errorString())
             return
         buf = sock.readAll()
+        buf = unicode(buf, sys.getfilesystemencoding(), "ignore")
         self.emit(SIGNAL("appMsg"), buf)
         sock.disconnectFromServer()
 
diff --git a/aqt/main.py b/aqt/main.py
index 4a705033d..2bc2d3322 100644
--- a/aqt/main.py
+++ b/aqt/main.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AnkiQt(QMainWindow):
                     "syncing and add-on loading."))
         # were we given a file to import?
         if args and args[0]:
-            self.onAppMsg(unicode(args[0], "utf8", "ignore"))
+            self.onAppMsg(unicode(args[0], sys.getfilesystemencoding(), "ignore"))
         # Load profile in a timer so we can let the window finish init and not
         # close on profile load error.
         self.progress.timer(10, self.setupProfile, False)
@@ -1113,10 +1113,6 @@ will be lost. Continue?"""))
         self.connect(self.app, SIGNAL("appMsg"), self.onAppMsg)
 
     def onAppMsg(self, buf):
-        if not isinstance(buf, unicode):
-            # even though we're sending this as unicode up above,
-            # a bug report still came in that we were receiving a qbytearray
-            buf = unicode(buf, "utf8", "ignore")
         if self.state == "startup":
             # try again in a second
             return self.progress.timer(1000, lambda: self.onAppMsg(buf), False)