diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 09f99873b..74fe71f47 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -16,3 +16,4 @@ locales/
 /debug.svg
 /.idea
 /VERSION
+src/
diff --git a/lib/extensions/base.py b/lib/extensions/base.py
index 70ca47011..8d5cccad9 100644
--- a/lib/extensions/base.py
+++ b/lib/extensions/base.py
@@ -117,15 +117,17 @@ class InkstitchExtension(inkex.Effect):
             if g.get(INKSCAPE_GROUPMODE) == "layer":
                 g.set("style", "display:none")
 
-    def ensure_current_layer(self):
+    def get_current_layer(self):
         # if no layer is selected, inkex defaults to the root, which isn't
         # particularly useful
-        if self.svg.get_current_layer() is self.document.getroot():
+        current_layer = self.svg.get_current_layer()
+        if current_layer is self.document.getroot():
             try:
-                self.current_layer = self.document.xpath(".//svg:g[@inkscape:groupmode='layer']", namespaces=inkex.NSS)[0]
+                current_layer = self.document.xpath(".//svg:g[@inkscape:groupmode='layer']", namespaces=inkex.NSS)[0]
             except IndexError:
                 # No layers at all??  Fine, we'll stick with the default.
                 pass
+        return current_layer
 
     def no_elements_error(self):
         if self.svg.selected:
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ class InkstitchExtension(inkex.Effect):
         else:
             inkex.errormsg(_("There are no objects in the entire document that Ink/Stitch knows how to work with.") + "\n")
 
-        inkex.errormsg(_("Tip: Select some objects and use Path -> Object to Path to convert them to paths.") + "\n")
+        inkex.errormsg(_("Tip: Run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Troubleshoot > Troubleshoot Objects") + "\n")
 
     def descendants(self, node, selected=False, troubleshoot=False):  # noqa: C901
         nodes = []
diff --git a/lib/extensions/lettering.py b/lib/extensions/lettering.py
index e55365c66..7ee162eab 100644
--- a/lib/extensions/lettering.py
+++ b/lib/extensions/lettering.py
@@ -414,10 +414,9 @@ class Lettering(CommandsExtension):
             else:
                 return list(groups)[0]
         else:
-            self.ensure_current_layer()
-            return etree.SubElement(self.svg.get_current_layer(), SVG_GROUP_TAG, {
+            return etree.SubElement(self.get_current_layer(), SVG_GROUP_TAG, {
                 INKSCAPE_LABEL: _("Ink/Stitch Lettering"),
-                "transform": get_correction_transform(self.svg.get_current_layer(), child=True)
+                "transform": get_correction_transform(self.get_current_layer(), child=True)
             })
 
     def effect(self):