diff --git a/mrdna/arbdmodel/__init__.py b/mrdna/arbdmodel/__init__.py
index b5d894beb4364d551ffdc536790cb548496a657c..63d03973478890c63bd7e1c84400326a16edd439 100644
--- a/mrdna/arbdmodel/__init__.py
+++ b/mrdna/arbdmodel/__init__.py
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ class ArbdModel(PdbModel):
             self.writePdb( output_name + ".pdb" )
             self.writePsf( output_name + ".psf" )
             self.writeArbdFiles( output_name, numSteps=num_steps, outputPeriod=output_period, restart_file=restart_file )
-            os.sync()
+            # os.sync()
 
             ## http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18421757/live-output-from-subprocess-command
 
@@ -833,7 +833,10 @@ class ArbdModel(PdbModel):
                     fd = sys.stdout if log_file is None else log_file
                     process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, universal_newlines=True)
                     for line in process.stdout:
-                        fd.write(line)
+                        try:
+                            fd.write(line)
+                        except:
+                            print("WARNING: could not encode line; your locale might not be set correctly")
                         fd.flush()
                 else:
                     with open(log_file,'w') as fd:
@@ -1339,7 +1342,7 @@ run {num_steps:d}
         self.writePdb( output_name + ".fixed.pdb", beta_from_fixed=True )
         self.writePsf( output_name + ".psf" )
         self.write_namd_configuration( output_name, output_directory = output_directory )
-        os.sync()
+        # os.sync()
 
         if not dry_run:
             if namd2 is None:
diff --git a/mrdna/segmentmodel.py b/mrdna/segmentmodel.py
index 54a0b82d19ceb026abe1bb807cf903ce6156798f..7a563620a36850063107479f86ff9e4d4bb2979a 100644
--- a/mrdna/segmentmodel.py
+++ b/mrdna/segmentmodel.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pdb
+import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
 import numpy as np
 import random
@@ -3803,7 +3804,7 @@ external_forces = 0
                                     last_conf_file = last_conf_file,
                                     log_file="{}/{}.log".format(output_directory,output_name),
                                     **oxdna_args)
-            os.sync()
+            # os.sync()
             ## TODO: call oxdna
             cmd = [oxDNA, input_file]