diff --git a/bazarr/utilities/backup.py b/bazarr/utilities/backup.py
index 7080cf950..95c2234dc 100644
--- a/bazarr/utilities/backup.py
+++ b/bazarr/utilities/backup.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def backup_to_zip():
     config_file = os.path.join(args.config_dir, 'config', 'config.yaml')
     logging.debug(f'Config file path to backup is: {config_file}')
 
-    with ZipFile(os.path.join(get_backup_path(), backup_filename), 'w') as backupZip:
+    with ZipFile(os.path.join(get_backup_path(), backup_filename), 'w', compression=ZIP_DEFLATED, compresslevel=9) as backupZip:
         if database_backup_file:
             backupZip.write(database_backup_file, 'bazarr.db')
             try:
diff --git a/libs/subliminal_patch/core.py b/libs/subliminal_patch/core.py
index 8be54828b..a8aaae19d 100644
--- a/libs/subliminal_patch/core.py
+++ b/libs/subliminal_patch/core.py
@@ -872,14 +872,14 @@ def _search_external_subtitles(path, languages=None, only_one=False, match_stric
     dirpath, filename = os.path.split(path)
     dirpath = dirpath or '.'
     fn_no_ext, fileext = os.path.splitext(filename)
-    fn_no_ext_lower = unicodedata.normalize('NFC', fn_no_ext.lower())
+    fn_no_ext_lower = fn_no_ext.lower() # unicodedata.normalize('NFC', fn_no_ext.lower())
     subtitles = {}
 
     for entry in scandir(dirpath):
         if not entry.is_file(follow_symlinks=False):
             continue
 
-        p = unicodedata.normalize('NFC', entry.name)
+        p = entry.name # unicodedata.normalize('NFC', entry.name)
 
         # keep only valid subtitle filenames
         if not p.lower().endswith(SUBTITLE_EXTENSIONS):