diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 32e2448432..854b634e85 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ install:
       $env:APPVEYOR_REPO_BRANCH, $env:APPVEYOR_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER
     $env:BRANCH = $env:BRANCH -replace "/#$"
 
-- ps: $env:PATH += $env:QTDIR
+- ps: | # misc global settings
+    $env:PATH += $env:QTDIR
+    [net.servicepointmanager]::securityprotocol = "tls12, tls11, tls"
 
 - ps: | # update and init submodules
     git submodule -q update --init `
@@ -68,10 +70,9 @@ after_build:
     rm .\bin\rpcs3.exp, .\bin\rpcs3.lib, .\bin\rpcs3.pdb
 
 - ps: | # prepare compatibility database for packaging
-    [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
-    $db = irm $env:COMPATDB -ea SilentlyContinue
+    $db = irm $env:COMPATDB -erroraction silentlycontinue
     if ($db -and $db.return_code -eq 0) {
-      $db | convertto-json -compress | out-file -encoding utf8 compat_database.dat
+      $db | convertto-json -compress | out-file compat_database.dat -encoding utf8
     }
     copy-item compat_database.dat .\bin\GuiConfigs\compat_database.dat