diff --git a/distutils/cmd.py b/distutils/cmd.py
index 241621bd..10b1f42a 100644
--- a/distutils/cmd.py
+++ b/distutils/cmd.py
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ def make_file(
         timestamp checks.
         """
         if skip_msg is None:
-            skip_msg = f"skipping {outfile} (inputs unchanged)"
+            skip_msg = f"skipping {outfile!r} (inputs unchanged)"
 
         # Allow 'infiles' to be a single string
         if isinstance(infiles, str):
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ def make_file(
             raise TypeError("'infiles' must be a string, or a list or tuple of strings")
 
         if exec_msg is None:
-            exec_msg = "generating {} from {}".format(outfile, ', '.join(infiles))
+            exec_msg = f"generating {outfile!r} from {', '.join(infiles)!r}"
 
         # If 'outfile' must be regenerated (either because it doesn't
         # exist, is out-of-date, or the 'force' flag is true) then
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py b/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py
index 76e8f598..85056229 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_cmd.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def test_make_file(self, cmd):
 
         # making sure execute gets called properly
         def _execute(func, args, exec_msg, level):
-            assert exec_msg == 'generating out from in'
+            assert exec_msg == "generating 'out' from 'in'"
 
         cmd.force = True
         cmd.execute = _execute
diff --git a/mypy.ini b/mypy.ini
index 146222a5..29d8e5d2 100644
--- a/mypy.ini
+++ b/mypy.ini
@@ -16,20 +16,21 @@ disable_error_code =
 
 # local
 
+	# Code that is too dynamic using variable command names;
+	# and code that uses platform checks mypy doesn't understand
+	attr-defined,
+	# These reveal issues in distutils/_modified.py that should be fixed
+	return-value,
+	type-var,
 	# TODO: Resolve and re-enable these gradually
 	operator,
-	attr-defined,
 	arg-type,
 	assignment,
 	call-overload,
-	return-value,
 	index,
-	type-var,
 	func-returns-value,
 	union-attr,
-	str-bytes-safe,
 	misc,
-	has-type,
 
 # stdlib's test module is not typed on typeshed
 [mypy-test.*]