diff --git a/matplotlibcpp.h b/matplotlibcpp.h
index 67700740..552a8653 100644
--- a/matplotlibcpp.h
+++ b/matplotlibcpp.h
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ struct _interpreter {
 #endif
         Py_SetProgramName(name);
         Py_Initialize();
+        
+        wchar_t* args[1];
+        args[0] = Py_DecodeLocale("", NULL); 
+        PySys_SetArgv(0, args);
 
 #ifndef WITHOUT_NUMPY
         import_numpy(); // initialize numpy C-API
@@ -312,9 +316,9 @@ template <> struct select_npy_type<uint64_t> { const static NPY_TYPES type = NPY
 
 // Sanity checks; comment them out or change the numpy type below if you're compiling on
 // a platform where they don't apply
-static_assert(sizeof(long long) == 8);
+static_assert(sizeof(long long) == 8, "sizeof(long long) must be equal to 8.");
 template <> struct select_npy_type<long long> { const static NPY_TYPES type = NPY_INT64; };
-static_assert(sizeof(unsigned long long) == 8);
+static_assert(sizeof(unsigned long long) == 8, "sizeof(unsigned long long) must be equal to 8.");
 template <> struct select_npy_type<unsigned long long> { const static NPY_TYPES type = NPY_UINT64; };
 // TODO: add int, long, etc.