diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 748129f7e..961d00242 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -304,16 +304,11 @@ def __call__(self, window_id: int, what: str, *a: Any) -> None:
             if self.draw_dump_buf:
                 safe_print('draw', ''.join(self.draw_dump_buf))
                 self.draw_dump_buf = []
-            def encode_dict_value(v: Any) -> Any:
-                if isinstance(v, (bytes, memoryview)):
-                    return str(v, 'utf-8', 'replace')
-                return v
-
             def fmt(x: Any) -> Any:
                 if isinstance(x, (bytes, memoryview)):
                     return str(x, 'utf-8', 'replace')
                 if isinstance(x, dict):
-                    return json.dumps({k: encode_dict_value(v) for k, v in x.items()})
+                    return json.dumps({k: fmt(v) for k, v in x.items()})
                 return x
             safe_print(what, *map(fmt, a), flush=True)
 # }}}
diff --git a/kitty/client.py b/kitty/client.py
index 871fe0b71..ea3676181 100644
--- a/kitty/client.py
+++ b/kitty/client.py
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ def dnd_command(payload: str) -> None:
         m += f':m={more}'
     if (client_id := c.pop('client_id', None)):
         m += f':i={client_id}'
-    if (operation := c.pop('operation', None)) is not None and operation:
+    if (operation := c.pop('operation', None)):
         m += f':o={operation}'
     if (cell_x := c.pop('cell_x', None)):
         m += f':x={cell_x}'