diff --git a/ankiqt/ui/clayout.py b/ankiqt/ui/clayout.py
index fe631154d..9dfa18acb 100644
--- a/ankiqt/ui/clayout.py
+++ b/ankiqt/ui/clayout.py
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ order by n""", id=card.id)
                       c)
             + "</body></html>")
         clearAudioQueue()
-        if not self.playedAudio and self.mw.config['autoplaySounds']:
+        if not self.playedAudio:
             playFromText(c.question)
             playFromText(c.answer)
             self.playedAudio = True
diff --git a/ankiqt/ui/main.py b/ankiqt/ui/main.py
index 9711b5a7e..e7f34d2f8 100755
--- a/ankiqt/ui/main.py
+++ b/ankiqt/ui/main.py
@@ -2739,9 +2739,7 @@ to work with this version of Anki."""))
         if path is None:
             path = self.pluginsFolder()
         if sys.platform == "win32":
-            anki.utils.call(["explorer", path.encode(
-                sys.getfilesystemencoding())],
-                            wait=False)
+            anki.utils.call(["explorer", path], wait=False)
         else:
             QDesktopServices.openUrl(QUrl("file://" + path))