diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index 26d7fcf..4dd4779 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -3009,6 +3009,8 @@ error_ssl_1:
 static char *
 irc_to_utf8 (struct app_context *ctx, const char *text)
 {
+	if (!text)
+		return NULL;
 	size_t len = strlen (text) + 1;
 	if (utf8_validate (text, len))
 		return xstrdup (text);
@@ -4309,7 +4311,7 @@ irc_handle_part (struct server *s, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	if (!irc_is_channel (s, channel_name))
 		return;
 
-	const char *message = "";
+	const char *message = NULL;
 	if (msg->params.len > 1)
 		message = msg->params.vector[1];
 
@@ -4489,7 +4491,7 @@ irc_handle_quit (struct server *s, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	if (!user)
 		return;
 
-	const char *message = "";
+	const char *message = NULL;
 	if (msg->params.len > 0)
 		message = msg->params.vector[0];