diff --git a/dissect/target/filesystems/dir.py b/dissect/target/filesystems/dir.py
index 998bbe87a..72e9a2772 100644
--- a/dissect/target/filesystems/dir.py
+++ b/dissect/target/filesystems/dir.py
@@ -27,12 +27,7 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
     def _detect(fh: BinaryIO) -> bool:
         raise TypeError("Detect is not allowed on DirectoryFilesystem class")
 
-    def get(self, path: str) -> FilesystemEntry:
-        path = path.strip("/")
-
-        if not path:
-            return DirectoryFilesystemEntry(self, "/", self.base_path)
-
+    def _resolve_path(self, path: str) -> Path:
         if not self.case_sensitive:
             searchpath = self.base_path
 
@@ -48,6 +43,14 @@ def get(self, path: str) -> FilesystemEntry:
         else:
             entry = self.base_path.joinpath(path.strip("/"))
 
+        return entry
+
+    def get(self, path: str) -> FilesystemEntry:
+        if not (path := path.strip("/")):
+            return DirectoryFilesystemEntry(self, "/", self.base_path)
+
+        entry = self._resolve_path(path)
+
         try:
             entry.lstat()
             return DirectoryFilesystemEntry(self, path, entry)
diff --git a/dissect/target/filesystems/zip.py b/dissect/target/filesystems/zip.py
index ed95f0e1b..f525369e1 100644
--- a/dissect/target/filesystems/zip.py
+++ b/dissect/target/filesystems/zip.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def __init__(
             if not mname.startswith(self.base) or mname == ".":
                 continue
 
-            rel_name = fsutil.normpath(mname[len(self.base) :], alt_separator=self.alt_separator)
+            rel_name = self._resolve_path(mname)
             self._fs.map_file_entry(rel_name, ZipFilesystemEntry(self, rel_name, member))
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ def _detect(fh: BinaryIO) -> bool:
         """Detect a zip file on a given file-like object."""
         return zipfile.is_zipfile(fh)
 
+    def _resolve_path(self, path: str) -> str:
+        return fsutil.normpath(path[len(self.base) :], alt_separator=self.alt_separator)
+
     def get(self, path: str, relentry: FilesystemEntry = None) -> FilesystemEntry:
         """Returns a ZipFilesystemEntry object corresponding to the given path."""
         return self._fs.get(path, relentry=relentry)
diff --git a/dissect/target/loaders/dir.py b/dissect/target/loaders/dir.py
index 22a55e549..ed279f658 100644
--- a/dissect/target/loaders/dir.py
+++ b/dissect/target/loaders/dir.py
@@ -36,13 +36,23 @@ def find_entry_path(path: Path) -> str | None:
             return prefix
 
 
-def map_dirs(target: Target, dirs: list[Path | tuple[str, Path]], os_type: str, **kwargs) -> None:
+def map_dirs(
+    target: Target,
+    dirs: list[Path | tuple[str, Path]],
+    os_type: str,
+    *,
+    dirfs: type[DirectoryFilesystem] = DirectoryFilesystem,
+    zipfs: type[ZipFilesystem] = ZipFilesystem,
+    **kwargs,
+) -> None:
     """Map directories as filesystems into the given target.
 
     Args:
         target: The target to map into.
         dirs: The directories to map as filesystems. If a list member is a tuple, the first element is the drive letter.
         os_type: The operating system type, used to determine how the filesystem should be mounted.
+        dirfs: The filesystem class to use for directory filesystems.
+        zipfs: The filesystem class to use for ZIP filesystems.
     """
     alt_separator = ""
     case_sensitive = True
@@ -59,9 +69,9 @@ def map_dirs(target: Target, dirs: list[Path | tuple[str, Path]], os_type: str,
             drive_letter = path.name[0]
 
         if isinstance(path, zipfile.Path):
-            dfs = ZipFilesystem(path.root.fp, path.at, alt_separator=alt_separator, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
+            dfs = zipfs(path.root.fp, path.at, alt_separator=alt_separator, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
         else:
-            dfs = DirectoryFilesystem(path, alt_separator=alt_separator, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
+            dfs = dirfs(path, alt_separator=alt_separator, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
 
         drive_letter_map[drive_letter].append(dfs)
 
diff --git a/dissect/target/loaders/velociraptor.py b/dissect/target/loaders/velociraptor.py
index 572402ba3..a1ead9e0c 100644
--- a/dissect/target/loaders/velociraptor.py
+++ b/dissect/target/loaders/velociraptor.py
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@
 import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+from urllib.parse import quote, unquote
 
+from dissect.target.filesystems.dir import DirectoryFilesystem
+from dissect.target.filesystems.zip import ZipFilesystem
+from dissect.target.helpers.fsutil import basename, dirname, join
 from dissect.target.loaders.dir import DirLoader, find_dirs, map_dirs
 from dissect.target.plugin import OperatingSystem
 
@@ -87,11 +91,13 @@ def __init__(self, path: Path, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(path)
 
         if path.suffix == ".zip":
-            log.warning(
-                f"Velociraptor target {path!r} is compressed, which will slightly affect performance. "
-                "Consider uncompressing the archive and passing the uncompressed folder to Dissect."
-            )
             self.root = zipfile.Path(path.open("rb"))
+            if self.root.root.getinfo("uploads.json").compress_type > 0:
+                log.warning(
+                    "Velociraptor target '%s' is compressed, which will slightly affect performance. "
+                    "Consider uncompressing the archive and passing the uncompressed folder to Dissect.",
+                    path,
+                )
         else:
             self.root = path
 
@@ -116,14 +122,28 @@ def detect(path: Path) -> bool:
 
     def map(self, target: Target) -> None:
         os_type, dirs = find_fs_directories(self.root)
-        if os_type == OperatingSystem.WINDOWS:
-            # Velociraptor doesn't have the correct filenames for the paths "$J" and "$Secure:$SDS"
-            map_dirs(
-                target,
-                dirs,
-                os_type,
-                usnjrnl_path="$Extend/$UsnJrnl%3A$J",
-                sds_path="$Secure%3A$SDS",
-            )
-        else:
-            map_dirs(target, dirs, os_type)
+
+        # Velociraptor URL encodes paths before storing these in a collection, this leads plugins not being able to find
+        # these paths. To circumvent this issue, for a zip file the path names are URL decoded before mapping into the
+        # VFS and for a directory the paths are URL encoded at lookup time.
+        map_dirs(
+            target,
+            dirs,
+            os_type,
+            dirfs=VelociraptorDirectoryFilesystem,
+            zipfs=VelociraptorZipFilesystem,
+        )
+
+
+class VelociraptorDirectoryFilesystem(DirectoryFilesystem):
+    def _resolve_path(self, path: str) -> Path:
+        path = quote(path, safe="$/% ")
+        if (fname := basename(path)).startswith("."):
+            path = join(dirname(path), fname.replace(".", "%2E", 1))
+
+        return super()._resolve_path(path)
+
+
+class VelociraptorZipFilesystem(ZipFilesystem):
+    def _resolve_path(self, path: str) -> str:
+        return unquote(super()._resolve_path(path))
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index edd1a142c..d6c6cedc8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ full = [
     "zstandard",
 ]
 dev = [
-    "dissect.target[full,mqtt,yara]",
+    "dissect.target[full,yara]",
     "dissect.archive[dev]>=1.0.dev,<2.0.dev",
     "dissect.btrfs[dev]>=1.0.dev,<2.0.dev",
     "dissect.cim[dev]>=3.0.dev,<4.0.dev",
diff --git a/tests/loaders/test_mqtt.py b/tests/loaders/test_mqtt.py
index de8977b8b..71063b07a 100644
--- a/tests/loaders/test_mqtt.py
+++ b/tests/loaders/test_mqtt.py
@@ -1,22 +1,23 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import argparse
+import sys
 import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from struct import pack
 from typing import Iterator
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
-import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 import pytest
 
 from dissect.target import Target
-from dissect.target.loaders.mqtt import Broker, MQTTConnection, case
 
 
 class MQTTMock(MagicMock):
-    disks = []
-    hostname = ""
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.disks: list = []
+        self.hostname: str = ""
 
     def fill_disks(self, sizes: list[int]) -> None:
         self.disks = []
@@ -51,6 +52,17 @@ def publish(self, topic: str, *args) -> None:
         self.on_message(self, None, response)
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_paho(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> Iterator[MagicMock]:
+    with monkeypatch.context() as m:
+        mock_paho = MagicMock()
+        m.setitem(sys.modules, "paho", mock_paho)
+        m.setitem(sys.modules, "paho.mqtt", mock_paho.mqtt)
+        m.setitem(sys.modules, "paho.mqtt.client", mock_paho.mqtt.client)
+
+        yield mock_paho
+
+
 @dataclass
 class MockSeekMessage:
     data: bytes = b""
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ def mock_broker() -> Iterator[MockBroker]:
 @patch.object(time, "sleep")  # improve speed during test, no need to wait for peers
 def test_remote_loader_stream(
     time: MagicMock,
-    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    mock_paho: MagicMock,
     alias: str,
     hosts: list[str],
     disks: list[int],
@@ -96,7 +108,9 @@ def test_remote_loader_stream(
     read: int,
     expected: bytes,
 ) -> None:
-    monkeypatch.setattr(mqtt, "Client", MQTTMock)
+    mock_paho.mqtt.client.Client.return_value = MQTTMock()
+
+    from dissect.target.loaders.mqtt import Broker
 
     broker = Broker("0.0.0.0", "1884", "key", "crt", "ca", "case1", "user", "pass")
     broker.connect()
@@ -116,7 +130,9 @@ def test_remote_loader_stream(
         assert data == expected
 
 
-def test_mqtt_loader_prefetch(mock_broker: MockBroker) -> None:
+def test_mqtt_loader_prefetch(mock_broker: MockBroker, mock_paho: MagicMock) -> None:
+    from dissect.target.loaders.mqtt import MQTTConnection
+
     connection = MQTTConnection(mock_broker, "")
     connection.prefetch_factor_inc = 10
     assert connection.factor == 1
@@ -155,7 +171,11 @@ def test_mqtt_loader_prefetch(mock_broker: MockBroker) -> None:
         "invalid_case_empty",
     ],
 )
-def test_case(case_name, parse_result: str | pytest.RaisesContext[argparse.ArgumentTypeError]) -> None:
+def test_case(
+    case_name, parse_result: str | pytest.RaisesContext[argparse.ArgumentTypeError], mock_paho: MagicMock
+) -> None:
+    from dissect.target.loaders.mqtt import case
+
     if isinstance(parse_result, str):
         assert case(case_name) == parse_result
     else:
diff --git a/tests/loaders/test_velociraptor.py b/tests/loaders/test_velociraptor.py
index 3b1291e19..02cce90d5 100644
--- a/tests/loaders/test_velociraptor.py
+++ b/tests/loaders/test_velociraptor.py
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ def create_root(sub_dir: str, tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
         f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C%3F%5CGLOBALROOT%5CDevice%5CHarddiskVolumeShadowCopy1/",
         f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C%3F%5CGLOBALROOT%5CDevice%5CHarddiskVolumeShadowCopy1/$Extend",
         f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C%3F%5CGLOBALROOT%5CDevice%5CHarddiskVolumeShadowCopy1/windows/system32",
+        f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C.%5CC%3A/%2ETEST",
     ]
     root = tmp_path
     mkdirs(root, paths)
 
     (root / "uploads.json").write_bytes(b"{}")
     (root / f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C.%5CC%3A/C-DRIVE.txt").write_bytes(b"{}")
+    (root / f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C.%5CC%3A/Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender%254WHC.evtx").write_bytes(b"{}")
+    (root / f"uploads/{sub_dir}/%5C%5C.%5CC%3A/other.txt").write_text("my first file")
 
     with open(absolute_path("_data/plugins/filesystem/ntfs/mft/mft.raw"), "rb") as fh:
         mft = fh.read(10 * 1025)
@@ -54,8 +57,6 @@ def create_root(sub_dir: str, tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
 )
 def test_windows_ntfs(sub_dir: str, other_dir: str, target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     root = create_root(sub_dir, tmp_path)
-    root.joinpath(f"uploads/{other_dir}/C%3A").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    root.joinpath(f"uploads/{other_dir}/C%3A/other.txt").write_text("my first file")
 
     assert VelociraptorLoader.detect(root) is True
 
@@ -72,8 +73,11 @@ def test_windows_ntfs(sub_dir: str, other_dir: str, target_bare: Target, tmp_pat
             usnjrnl_records += len(list(fs.ntfs.usnjrnl.records()))
     assert usnjrnl_records == 2
     assert len(target_bare.filesystems) == 4
+
     assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/C-DRIVE.txt").exists()
     assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/other.txt").read_text() == "my first file"
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/.TEST").exists()
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender%254WHC.evtx").exists()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -102,17 +106,19 @@ def test_windows_ntfs_zip(sub_dir: str, target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) ->
     assert usnjrnl_records == 2
     assert len(target_bare.filesystems) == 4
     assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/C-DRIVE.txt").exists()
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/.TEST").exists()
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("sysvol/Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender%4WHC.evtx").exists()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "paths",
     [
-        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var"]),
-        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/opt"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/opt"]),
-        (["uploads/file/Library", "uploads/file/Applications"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/Library", "uploads/auto/Applications"]),
+        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/opt", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/opt", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/file/Library", "uploads/file/Applications", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/Library", "uploads/auto/Applications", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
     ],
 )
 def test_unix(paths: list[str], target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
@@ -125,19 +131,22 @@ def test_unix(paths: list[str], target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 
     loader = VelociraptorLoader(root)
     loader.map(target_bare)
+    target_bare.apply()
 
     assert len(target_bare.filesystems) == 1
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("/.TEST").exists()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "paths",
     [
-        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var"]),
-        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/opt"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/opt"]),
-        (["uploads/file/Library", "uploads/file/Applications"]),
-        (["uploads/auto/Library", "uploads/auto/Applications"]),
+        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/file/etc", "uploads/file/var", "uploads/file/opt", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/etc", "uploads/auto/var", "uploads/auto/opt", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/file/Library", "uploads/file/Applications", "uploads/file/%2ETEST"]),
+        (["uploads/auto/Library", "uploads/auto/Applications", "uploads/auto/%2ETEST"]),
     ],
 )
 def test_unix_zip(paths: list[str], target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
@@ -153,5 +162,7 @@ def test_unix_zip(paths: list[str], target_bare: Target, tmp_path: Path) -> None
 
     loader = VelociraptorLoader(zip_path)
     loader.map(target_bare)
+    target_bare.apply()
 
     assert len(target_bare.filesystems) == 1
+    assert target_bare.fs.path("/.TEST").exists()