We give two applications of our prior work toward the Putman-Wieland conjecture. First, we deduce a strengthening of a result of Marković-Tošić on virtual mapping class group actions on the homology of covers. Second, let g ⩾ 2 and let Σ g ′ ,𝑛 ′ → Σ g,𝑛 be a finite 𝐻cover of topological surfaces. We show the virtual action of the mapping class group of Σ g,𝑛+1 on an 𝐻-isotypic component of 𝐻 1 (Σ g ′ ) has nonunitary image.