diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 3f50c3b6..81203501 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -172,7 +172,12 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - name: Install prerequisites
-        run: choco install winflexbison3
+        # As Chocolatey is notoriously unreliable, install winflexbison3 directly from GitHub.
+        # run: choco install winflexbison3
+        run: |
+          curl https://github.com/lexxmark/winflexbison/releases/download/v2.5.24/win_flex_bison-2.5.24.zip --location --output winflexbison.zip
+          unzip winflexbison.zip -d ${{github.workspace}}\winflexbison
+          echo "${{github.workspace}}\winflexbison" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_PATH -Encoding utf8 -Append
       - name: Configure
         run: >-
           cmake
@@ -238,4 +243,4 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: mingw-${{matrix.env}}
           path: |
-            ${{github.workspace}}/build/*
+            build/
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d3687459..1e325db6 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ Changes since version 6.4:
     - [bug #26007] ATTiny167 not supported #150
     - [bug #47375] ATtiny102/104 descriptions missing in configuration
       file #409
+    - No error message when connecting to a not-connected AVRISP mkII
+      programmer #813
+    - [bug #53180] missing programmer or bad -P option argument
+      doesn't result in error message #471
 
   * Pull requests:
 
@@ -65,6 +69,7 @@ Changes since version 6.4:
     - Add MSVC builds and better WinUSB/FTDI support #798
     - buspirate: fix invalidScanfArgType_int warning #808
     - Ignore ac_cfg.h.in~ #810
+    - Notify open failure #814
 
   * Internals:
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 6fd432ec..8bc051a9 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1061,6 +1061,9 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv [])
 
   rc = pgm->open(pgm, port);
   if (rc < 0) {
+    avrdude_message(MSG_INFO,
+                    "%s: opening programmer \"%s\" on port \"%s\" failed\n",
+                    progname, programmer, port);
     exitrc = 1;
     pgm->ppidata = 0; /* clear all bits at exit */
     goto main_exit;