diff --git a/lib/mapi/convert/note-mime.rb b/lib/mapi/convert/note-mime.rb
index 494cf11..7b81bc6 100644
--- a/lib/mapi/convert/note-mime.rb
+++ b/lib/mapi/convert/note-mime.rb
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ def populate_headers
 			recips_by_type = recipients.group_by { |r| r.type }
 			# i want to the the types in a specific order.
 			[:to, :cc, :bcc].each do |type|
-				# don't know why i bother, but if we can, we try to sort recipients by the numerical part
-				# of the ole name, or just leave it if we can't
-				recips = recips_by_type[type]
+				# for maximal (probably pointless) fidelity, we try to sort recipients by the
+				# numerical part of the ole name
+				recips = recips_by_type[type] || []
 				recips = (recips.sort_by { |r| r.obj.name[/\d{8}$/].hex } rescue recips)
 				# switched to using , for separation, not ;. see issue #4
 				# recips.empty? is strange. i wouldn't have thought it possible, but it was right?
diff --git a/lib/mapi/msg.rb b/lib/mapi/msg.rb
index c7cfb55..6414db7 100644
--- a/lib/mapi/msg.rb
+++ b/lib/mapi/msg.rb
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ def self.parse_nameid obj
 					pseudo_prop = 0x8000 + offset
 					named = flags & 1 == 1
 					prop = if named
-						str_off = *str.unpack('V')
-						len = *names_data[str_off, 4].unpack('V')
+						str_off = str.unpack('V').first
+						len = names_data[str_off, 4].unpack('V').first
 						Ole::Types::FROM_UTF16.iconv names_data[str_off + 4, len]
 					else
 						a, b = str.unpack('v2')
diff --git a/lib/mapi/property_set.rb b/lib/mapi/property_set.rb
index 5b4be82..4c7d028 100644
--- a/lib/mapi/property_set.rb
+++ b/lib/mapi/property_set.rb
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def body
 		# for providing rtf decompression
 		def body_rtf
 			return @body_rtf if defined?(@body_rtf)
-			@body_rtf = (RTF.rtfdecompr rtf_compressed.read rescue nil)
+			@body_rtf = (RTF.rtfdecompr rtf_compressed.read)# rescue nil)
 		end
 
 		# for providing rtf to html conversion
diff --git a/lib/mapi/rtf.rb b/lib/mapi/rtf.rb
index 9fa133f..b61f6ce 100644
--- a/lib/mapi/rtf.rb
+++ b/lib/mapi/rtf.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@
 require 'strscan'
 require 'rtf'
 
+class StringIO # :nodoc:
+	begin
+		instance_method :getbyte
+	rescue NameError
+		alias getbyte getc
+	end
+end
+
 module Mapi
 	#
 	# = Introduction
@@ -46,9 +54,9 @@ def rtfdecompr data
 				flags = nil
 				while rtf.length < uncompr_size and !io.eof?
 					# each flag byte flags 8 literals/references, 1 per bit
-					flags = ((flag_count += 1) % 8 == 0) ? io.getc : flags >> 1
+					flags = ((flag_count += 1) % 8 == 0) ? io.getbyte : flags >> 1
 					if 1 == (flags & 1) # each flag bit is 1 for reference, 0 for literal
-						rp, l = io.getc, io.getc
+						rp, l = io.getbyte, io.getbyte
 						# offset is a 12 byte number. 2^12 is 4096, so thats fine
 						rp = (rp << 4) | (l >> 4) # the offset relative to block start
 						l = (l & 0xf) + 2 # the number of bytes to copy
@@ -58,7 +66,7 @@ def rtfdecompr data
 							rp = (rp + 1) % 4096
 						end
 					else
-						rtf << buf[wp] = io.getc
+						rtf << buf[wp] = io.getbyte.chr
 						wp = (wp + 1) % 4096
 					end
 				end