diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index c53638cb4..15b725af1 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 language: rust
-rust:
-  - stable
-  - beta
-  - nightly
+matrix:
+  include:
+    - rust: stable
+      env: FEATURES=''
+    - rust: beta
+      env: FEATURES=''
+    - rust: nightly
+      env: FEATURES=nightly
 os:
  - linux
  - osx
@@ -11,5 +15,5 @@ cache:
   - $HOME/.cargo
 sudo: false
 script:
-  - cargo build
-  - cargo test --no-fail-fast
+  - cargo build --features "$FEATURES"
+  - cargo test --features "$FEATURES" --no-fail-fast
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b9132bf73..c67505a6b 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -95,8 +95,9 @@ generic = [
   "whoami",
   "yes",
 ]
-default = ["generic", "unix"]
 test_unimplemented = []
+nightly = []
+default = ["generic", "unix"]
 
 [dependencies]
 uucore   = { path="src/uucore" }
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index ac9aa5828..dd7fea6a4 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -3,11 +3,26 @@ environment:
   - TARGET: x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
   - TARGET: i686-pc-windows-msvc
   - TARGET: i686-pc-windows-gnu
+    MINGW_URL: https://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw-w64/files/Toolchains%20targetting%20Win32/Personal%20Builds/mingw-builds/4.9.2/threads-win32/dwarf/i686-4.9.2-release-win32-dwarf-rt_v4-rev4.7z/download
+    MINGW_ARCHIVE: i686-4.9.2-release-win32-dwarf-rt_v4-rev4.7z
+    MINGW_DIR: mingw32
+  - TARGET: x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
+    MSYS_BITS: 64
+
 install:
   - ps: Start-FileDownload "https://static.rust-lang.org/dist/rust-nightly-${env:TARGET}.exe"
+  - SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Rust\bin;C:\MinGW\bin
+
+  # Use the system msys if we can
+  - if defined MSYS_BITS set PATH=C:\msys64\mingw%MSYS_BITS%\bin;C:\msys64\usr\bin;%PATH%
+
+  # download a custom compiler otherwise
+  - if defined MINGW_ARCHIVE appveyor DownloadFile "%MINGW_URL%" -FileName "%MINGW_ARCHIVE%"
+  - if defined MINGW_ARCHIVE 7z x -y "%MINGW_ARCHIVE%" > nul
+  - if defined MINGW_ARCHIVE set PATH=%CD%\%MINGW_DIR%\bin;C:\msys64\usr\bin;%PATH%
+
   - rust-nightly-%TARGET%.exe /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /DIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\Rust"
-  - SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Rust\bin
-  - SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\MinGW\bin
+
   - rustc -V
   - cargo -V