diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/palmdoc/writer.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/palmdoc/writer.py
index 6a7d54a586..702b176af9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/palmdoc/writer.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/palmdoc/writer.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Writer(FormatWriter):
         self.log.info('Compessing data...')
         for i in range(0, len(txt_records)):
             self.log.debug('\tCompressing record %i' % i)
-            txt_records[i] = compress_doc(txt_records[i].encode('utf-8'))
+            txt_records[i] = compress_doc(txt_records[i].encode('cp1252', 'replace'))
             section_lengths.append(len(txt_records[i]))
 
         out_stream.seek(0)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/ztxt/writer.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/ztxt/writer.py
index 5d8aa97a69..608bcc033a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/ztxt/writer.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdb/ztxt/writer.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class Writer(FormatWriter):
         self.log.info('Compressing data...')
         for i in range(0, len(txt_records)):
             self.log.debug('\tCompressing record %i' % i)
-            txt_records[i] = compressor.compress(txt_records[i].encode('utf-8'))
+            txt_records[i] = compressor.compress(txt_records[i].encode('cp1252', 'replace'))
             txt_records[i] = txt_records[i] + compressor.flush(zlib.Z_FULL_FLUSH)
             section_lengths.append(len(txt_records[i]))
             crc32 = zlib.crc32(txt_records[i], crc32) & 0xffffffff
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
index a5651397d0..1cfbae905a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class Worker(Thread):
         try:
             Thread.run(self)
             self.exception = self.traceback = None
-        except Exception, err:
+        except Exception as err:
             self.exception = err
             self.traceback = traceback.format_exc()
 
@@ -543,8 +543,9 @@ class EbookViewer(MainWindow, Ui_EbookViewer):
             if isinstance(worker.exception, DRMError):
                 error_dialog(self, _('DRM Error'), _('<p>This book is protected by <a href="%s">DRM</a>')%'http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/DRM').exec_()
             else:
+                r = getattr(worker.exception, 'reason', worker.exception)
                 error_dialog(self, _('Could not open ebook'),
-                        unicode(worker.exception), det_msg=worker.traceback, show=True)
+                        unicode(r), det_msg=worker.traceback, show=True)
             self.close_progress_indicator()
         else:
             self.metadata.show_opf(self.iterator.opf)