diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index b1ec7fd..23e2ae1 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -789,9 +789,9 @@ buffer_send (struct app_context *ctx, struct buffer *buffer,
 	line->type = type;
 	line->flags = flags;
 	line->when = time (NULL);
-	line->who = xstrdup (origin);
+	line->who = origin ? xstrdup (origin) : NULL;
 	line->object = str_steal (&text);
-	line->reason = xstrdup (reason);
+	line->reason = reason ? xstrdup (reason) : NULL;
 
 	LIST_APPEND_WITH_TAIL (buffer->lines, buffer->lines_tail, line);
 	buffer->lines_count++;
@@ -804,6 +804,11 @@ buffer_send (struct app_context *ctx, struct buffer *buffer,
 		buffer_line_display (ctx, line);
 }
 
+#define buffer_send_status(ctx, buffer, ...) \
+	buffer_send (ctx, buffer, BUFFER_LINE_STATUS, 0, NULL, NULL, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define buffer_send_error(ctx, buffer, ...) \
+	buffer_send (ctx, buffer, BUFFER_LINE_ERROR, 0, NULL, NULL, __VA_ARGS__)
+
 static struct buffer *
 buffer_by_name (struct app_context *ctx, const char *name)
 {