diff --git a/src/Propellor/Git.hs b/src/Propellor/Git.hs
index 88d5c3a..73de1de 100644
--- a/src/Propellor/Git.hs
+++ b/src/Propellor/Git.hs
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ fetchOrigin = do
 	branchref <- getCurrentBranch
 	let originbranch = "origin" </> branchref
 
-	void $ actionMessage "Git fetch" $ boolSystem "git" [Param "fetch"]
+	void $ actionMessage "Pull from central git repository" $
+		boolSystem "git" [Param "fetch"]
 	
 	oldsha <- getCurrentGitSha1 branchref
 	
diff --git a/src/Propellor/Message.hs b/src/Propellor/Message.hs
index a5d4d2c..244913e 100644
--- a/src/Propellor/Message.hs
+++ b/src/Propellor/Message.hs
@@ -15,16 +15,19 @@ import Control.Applicative
 import Propellor.Types
 import Utility.Monad
 import Utility.Env
+import Utility.FileSystemEncoding
 
 data MessageHandle
 	= ConsoleMessageHandle
 	| TextMessageHandle
 
 mkMessageHandle :: IO MessageHandle
-mkMessageHandle = ifM (hIsTerminalDevice stdout <||> (isJust <$> getEnv "PROPELLOR_CONSOLE"))
-	( return ConsoleMessageHandle
-	, return TextMessageHandle
-	)
+mkMessageHandle = do
+	fileEncoding stdout
+	ifM (hIsTerminalDevice stdout <||> (isJust <$> getEnv "PROPELLOR_CONSOLE"))
+		( return ConsoleMessageHandle
+		, return TextMessageHandle
+		)
 
 forceConsole :: IO ()
 forceConsole = void $ setEnv "PROPELLOR_CONSOLE" "1" True
diff --git a/src/Propellor/Server.hs b/src/Propellor/Server.hs
index 182cc2b..513a81f 100644
--- a/src/Propellor/Server.hs
+++ b/src/Propellor/Server.hs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import Utility.FileMode
 import Utility.SafeCommand
 
 -- Update the privdata, repo url, and git repo over the ssh
--- connection, talking the the user's local propellor instance which is
+-- connection, talking to the user's local propellor instance which is
 -- running the updateServer
 update :: IO ()
 update = do