--- layman/action.py
+++ layman/action.py
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@
         self.selection = config['add']
 
         enc = sys.getfilesystemencoding()
-        self.selection = [i.decode(enc) for i in self.selection]
+        if enc:
+            self.selection = [i.decode(enc) for i in self.selection]
 
         if 'ALL' in self.selection:
             self.selection = self.rdb.overlays.keys()
--- layman/overlays/overlay.py
+++ layman/overlays/overlay.py
@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@
         OUT.info('Running command "' + command + '"...', 2)
 
         if hasattr(sys.stdout,'encoding'):
-            command = command.encode(sys.stdout.encoding or 
-                                     sys.getfilesystemencoding())
+            enc = sys.stdout.encoding or sys.getfilesystemencoding()
+            if enc:
+                command = command.encode(enc)
 
         if not self.quiet:
             return os.system(command)