diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index a74e73b0c..3658332ec 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -954,30 +954,9 @@ def _calc_headers(self, info_dict):
         return res
 
     def _calc_cookies(self, info_dict):
-        class _PseudoRequest(object):
-            def __init__(self, url):
-                self.url = url
-                self.headers = {}
-                self.unverifiable = False
-
-            def add_unredirected_header(self, k, v):
-                self.headers[k] = v
-
-            def get_full_url(self):
-                return self.url
-
-            def is_unverifiable(self):
-                return self.unverifiable
-
-            def has_header(self, h):
-                return h in self.headers
-
-            def get_header(self, h, default=None):
-                return self.headers.get(h, default)
-
-        pr = _PseudoRequest(info_dict['url'])
+        pr = compat_urllib_request.Request(info_dict['url'])
         self.cookiejar.add_cookie_header(pr)
-        return pr.headers.get('Cookie')
+        return pr.get_header('Cookie')
 
     def process_video_result(self, info_dict, download=True):
         assert info_dict.get('_type', 'video') == 'video'
diff --git a/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py b/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
index ff031d2e0..51c41c704 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/downloader/external.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def _call_downloader(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
 
 class CurlFD(ExternalFD):
     def _make_cmd(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
-        cmd = [self.exe, '-o', tmpfilename]
+        cmd = [self.exe, '--location', '-o', tmpfilename]
         for key, val in info_dict['http_headers'].items():
             cmd += ['--header', '%s: %s' % (key, val)]
         cmd += self._source_address('--interface')
diff --git a/youtube_dl/downloader/hls.py b/youtube_dl/downloader/hls.py
index 8be4f4249..3650d715e 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/downloader/hls.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/downloader/hls.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def real_download(self, filename, info_dict):
         tmpfilename = self.temp_name(filename)
 
         ffpp = FFmpegPostProcessor(downloader=self)
-        if not ffpp.available:
+        if not ffpp.available():
             self.report_error('m3u8 download detected but ffmpeg or avconv could not be found. Please install one.')
             return False
         ffpp.check_version()