diff --git a/cmake/grpc.cmake b/cmake/grpc.cmake
index 71fb1835..1b47e525 100644
--- a/cmake/grpc.cmake
+++ b/cmake/grpc.cmake
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ set(CMAKE_POLICY_VERSION_MINIMUM 3.5)
 
 set(FETCHCONTENT_QUIET OFF)
 
-# CRITICAL: Prevent CMake from finding system-installed protobuf
+# CRITICAL: Prevent CMake from finding system-installed protobuf/abseil
 # This ensures gRPC uses its own bundled versions
-# NOTE: We allow gRPC to use our FetchContent abseil to keep versions in sync
 set(CMAKE_DISABLE_FIND_PACKAGE_Protobuf TRUE)
 set(CMAKE_DISABLE_FIND_PACKAGE_gRPC TRUE)
+set(CMAKE_DISABLE_FIND_PACKAGE_absl TRUE)
 
 # Also prevent pkg-config from finding system packages
 set(PKG_CONFIG_USE_CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH FALSE)
diff --git a/src/cli/service/agent/todo_manager.cc b/src/cli/service/agent/todo_manager.cc
index caee8fc6..b764b14a 100644
--- a/src/cli/service/agent/todo_manager.cc
+++ b/src/cli/service/agent/todo_manager.cc
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ TodoItem::Status TodoItem::StringToStatus(const std::string& str) {
 TodoManager::TodoManager() {
   auto result = util::PlatformPaths::GetAppDataSubdirectory("agent");
   if (result.ok()) {
-    data_dir_ = *result;
+    data_dir_ = result->string();
   } else {
-    data_dir_ = std::filesystem::current_path() / ".yaze" / "agent";
+    data_dir_ = (std::filesystem::current_path() / ".yaze" / "agent").string();
   }
   todos_file_ = (std::filesystem::path(data_dir_) / "todos.json").string();
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/service/ai/vision_action_refiner.cc b/src/cli/service/ai/vision_action_refiner.cc
index 2329f5c3..11e50664 100644
--- a/src/cli/service/ai/vision_action_refiner.cc
+++ b/src/cli/service/ai/vision_action_refiner.cc
@@ -110,9 +110,9 @@ absl::StatusOr<ActionRefinement> VisionActionRefiner::RefineAction(
             std::vector<std::string> parts = absl::StrSplit(coords, ',');
             if (parts.size() == 2) {
               refinement.adjusted_parameters["x"] = 
-                  absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[0]);
+                  std::string(absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[0]));
               refinement.adjusted_parameters["y"] = 
-                  absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[1]);
+                  std::string(absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[1]));
             }
           }
         }
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ VisionActionRefiner::LocateUIElement(
         std::string coords = text.substr(pos + 1, end - pos - 1);
         std::vector<std::string> parts = absl::StrSplit(coords, ',');
         if (parts.size() == 2) {
-          location["x"] = absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[0]);
-          location["y"] = absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[1]);
+          location["x"] = std::string(absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[0]));
+          location["y"] = std::string(absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(parts[1]));
         }
       }
     }
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ VisionAnalysisResult VisionActionRefiner::ParseVerificationResponse(
     size_t pos = response_upper.find("SUCCESS:");
     if (pos != std::string::npos) {
       std::string desc = response.substr(pos + 8);
-      result.description = absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(desc);
+      result.description = std::string(absl::StripAsciiWhitespace(desc));
     }
   }
   else if (response_upper.find("FAILURE") != std::string::npos) {
diff --git a/src/cli/service/net/z3ed_network_client.cc b/src/cli/service/net/z3ed_network_client.cc
index 59b06c1b..2e0a393d 100644
--- a/src/cli/service/net/z3ed_network_client.cc
+++ b/src/cli/service/net/z3ed_network_client.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
 #include "httplib.h"
 #endif
 
+// Undefine Windows macros that conflict with our method names
+// Must be outside the #ifdef so it applies to all code below
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#ifdef SendMessage
+#undef SendMessage
+#endif
+#endif
+
 namespace yaze {
 namespace cli {
 namespace net {
diff --git a/vcpkg.json b/vcpkg.json
index 06b1a4aa..8c9a951e 100644
--- a/vcpkg.json
+++ b/vcpkg.json
@@ -11,10 +11,6 @@
       "default-features": false,
       "features": []
     },
-    {
-      "name": "abseil",
-      "platform": "windows"
-    },
     {
       "name": "yaml-cpp",
       "platform": "windows"