diff --git a/pos_briefing.py b/pos_briefing.py
index eae7b7b..a1f911e 100644
--- a/pos_briefing.py
+++ b/pos_briefing.py
@@ -498,6 +498,13 @@ def discover_printer():
         seeds.append(CACHE_FILE.read_text().strip())
     if PRINTER_IP:
         seeds.append(PRINTER_IP)
+    if not PRINTER_MAC:
+        # No MAC configured: fall back to direct IP reachability (legacy behavior).
+        for ip in seeds:
+            if ip and _port_open(ip, PRINTER_PORT):
+                _cache_ip(ip)
+                return ip
+        raise RuntimeError("printer-not-found (no printer_mac configured)")
     for ip in seeds:
         if ip and _mac_of(ip) == PRINTER_MAC and _port_open(ip, PRINTER_PORT):
             _cache_ip(ip)
diff --git a/pos_briefing_mqtt.py b/pos_briefing_mqtt.py
index af7b654..7ad2d01 100644
--- a/pos_briefing_mqtt.py
+++ b/pos_briefing_mqtt.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ def run_briefing(client):
         client.publish(STATUS_TOPIC, "printing", retain=True)
         log.info("Running briefing...")
         r = subprocess.run(["/usr/bin/python3", BRIEFING],
-                           capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=PRINT_TIMEOUT)
+                           capture_output=True, text=True, encoding="utf-8",
+                           timeout=PRINT_TIMEOUT)
         if r.returncode == 0 and "Receipt sent" in r.stdout:
             client.publish(STATUS_TOPIC, "ok", retain=True)
             log.info("Briefing printed OK")
diff --git a/tests/test_printer_discovery.py b/tests/test_printer_discovery.py
index f6bd25d..090bd8f 100644
--- a/tests/test_printer_discovery.py
+++ b/tests/test_printer_discovery.py
@@ -37,3 +37,24 @@ def test_not_found_raises(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
         assert False, "expected RuntimeError"
     except RuntimeError as e:
         assert "printer-not-found" in str(e)
+
+
+def test_no_mac_falls_back_to_direct_ip(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    # When printer_mac is unconfigured, a reachable seed IP is used directly.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "CACHE_FILE", tmp_path / "last_ip")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "PRINTER_IP", "192.168.0.184")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "PRINTER_MAC", "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "_port_open", lambda ip, port, timeout=3: ip == "192.168.0.184")
+    assert pb.discover_printer() == "192.168.0.184"
+
+
+def test_no_mac_unreachable_raises(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "CACHE_FILE", tmp_path / "last_ip")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "PRINTER_IP", "192.168.0.184")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "PRINTER_MAC", "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pb, "_port_open", lambda ip, port, timeout=3: False)
+    try:
+        pb.discover_printer()
+        assert False, "expected RuntimeError"
+    except RuntimeError as e:
+        assert "no printer_mac" in str(e)