diff --git a/docs/provisioner_options.md b/docs/provisioner_options.md
index 7b2b256d..c1c9ba79 100644
--- a/docs/provisioner_options.md
+++ b/docs/provisioner_options.md
@@ -302,6 +302,12 @@ The result would be:
     |- baz
     |- [contents of qux]
 
+### pillar_env ###
+
+default: `nil`
+
+Environment to use in minion config file for the pillar root, if different from `salt_env`.
+
 ## Install Salt ##
 
 ### salt_install ###
diff --git a/lib/kitchen/provisioner/minion.erb b/lib/kitchen/provisioner/minion.erb
index 78b80564..91c8b3d9 100644
--- a/lib/kitchen/provisioner/minion.erb
+++ b/lib/kitchen/provisioner/minion.erb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ file_roots:
    - <%= os_join(config[:root_path], config[:salt_spm_root], 'salt') %>
 
 pillar_roots:
- <%= config[:salt_env] %>:
+ <%= config[:pillar_env] || config[:salt_env] %>:
    - <%= os_join(config[:root_path], config[:salt_pillar_root]) %>
    - <%= os_join(config[:root_path], config[:salt_spm_root], 'pillar') %>
 
diff --git a/lib/kitchen/provisioner/salt_solo.rb b/lib/kitchen/provisioner/salt_solo.rb
index 605ec37f..18b31afe 100644
--- a/lib/kitchen/provisioner/salt_solo.rb
+++ b/lib/kitchen/provisioner/salt_solo.rb
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class SaltSolo < Base
         is_file_root: false,
         local_salt_root: nil,
         omnibus_cachier: false,
+        pillar_env: nil,
         pillars_from_directories: [],
         pip_bin: 'pip',
         pip_editable: false,
diff --git a/lib/kitchen/verifier/nox.rb b/lib/kitchen/verifier/nox.rb
index 051a4736..2c560ca8 100644
--- a/lib/kitchen/verifier/nox.rb
+++ b/lib/kitchen/verifier/nox.rb
@@ -203,9 +203,14 @@ def call(state)
                 if config[:windows]
                   if config[:zip_windows_artifacts]
                     begin
-                      conn.execute("powershell Compress-Archive #{remote} #{remote}artifacts.zip -Force")
+                      conn.execute("7z.exe a #{remote}artifacts.zip #{remote}")
                     rescue => e
-                      error("Failed to create zip")
+                      begin
+                        info("7z.exe failed, attempting zip with powershell Compress-Archive")
+                        conn.execute("powershell Compress-Archive #{remote} #{remote}artifacts.zip -Force")
+                      rescue => e2
+                        error("Failed to create zip")
+                      end
                     end
                   end
                 else