diff --git a/sugar/shell/activity.py b/sugar/shell/activity.py
index 25184446..47506d0c 100644
--- a/sugar/shell/activity.py
+++ b/sugar/shell/activity.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class Activity(object):
 		"""Marks this Activity as having changes.  This usually means
 		that this Activity's tab turns a red color or something else
 		to notify the user that this Activity needs attention."""
-		if not self.has_focus() and has_changes:
+		if not self.get_has_focus() and has_changes:
 			self._activity_object.set_has_changes(True)
 		else:
 			self._activity_object.set_has_changes(False)
diff --git a/sugar/shell/shell.py b/sugar/shell/shell.py
index 7c703c52..25674913 100755
--- a/sugar/shell/shell.py
+++ b/sugar/shell/shell.py
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ class ActivityHost(dbus.service.Object):
 		#print "  data = ", data
 		pixstr = ""
 		for c in data:
+			# Work around for a bug in dbus < 0.61 where integers
+			# are not correctly marshalled
+			if c < 0: c += 256
 			pixstr += chr(c)
 
 		pixbuf = gtk.gdk.pixbuf_new_from_data(pixstr, colorspace, has_alpha, bits_per_sample, width, height, rowstride)