@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@
 
 from io import BytesIO
 import os
+import sys
 import subprocess
 
 from git.util import IndexFileSHA1Writer
+from git.cmd import Git
 from git.exc import (
     UnmergedEntriesError,
     HookExecutionError
@@ -74,7 +76,9 @@ def run_commit_hook(name, index):
                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                            cwd=index.repo.working_dir,
-                           close_fds=(os.name == 'posix'))
+                           close_fds=(os.name == 'posix'),
+                           universal_newlines=True,
+                           creationflags=Git.CREATE_NO_WINDOW if sys.platform == 'win32' else 0,)
     stdout, stderr = cmd.communicate()
     cmd.stdout.close()
     cmd.stderr.close()
 
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
+from unittest import skipIf
 
 import git.objects.base as base
 from git.test.lib import (
@@ -116,6 +117,8 @@ def test_with_rw_remote_and_rw_repo(self, rw_repo, rw_remote_repo):
         assert rw_remote_repo.config_reader("repository").getboolean("core", "bare")
         assert os.path.isdir(os.path.join(rw_repo.working_tree_dir, 'lib'))
 
+    @skipIf(sys.version_info < (3, ) and os.name == 'nt',
+            "Unicode woes, see https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/pull/519")
     @with_rw_repo('0.1.6')
     def test_add_unicode(self, rw_repo):
         filename = u"שלום.txt"
 
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@ def counter_stderr(line):
                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                                 shell=False,
+                                universal_newlines=True,
+                                creationflags=Git.CREATE_NO_WINDOW if sys.platform == 'win32' else 0,
                                 )
 
         handle_process_output(proc, counter_stdout, counter_stderr, lambda proc: proc.wait())
 
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 from git.compat import string_types
 
 import time
+import sys
 
 
 class TestIterableMember(object):
@@ -90,7 +91,11 @@ def test_blocking_lock_file(self):
         wait_lock = BlockingLockFile(my_file, 0.05, wait_time)
         self.failUnlessRaises(IOError, wait_lock._obtain_lock)
         elapsed = time.time() - start
-        assert elapsed <= wait_time + 0.02, elapsed  # some extra time it may cost
+        # More extra time costs, but...
+        extra_time = 0.2
+        if sys.platform == 'win32':
+            extra_time *= 4
+        self.assertLess(elapsed, wait_time + 0.02)
 
     def test_user_id(self):
         assert '@' in get_user_id()
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@ def counter_stderr(line):
239	239	stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
240	240	stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
241	241	shell=False,
	242	+ universal_newlines=True,
	243	+ creationflags=Git.CREATE_NO_WINDOW if sys.platform == 'win32' else 0,
242	244	)
243	245
244	246	handle_process_output(proc, counter_stdout, counter_stderr, lambda proc: proc.wait())