diff --git a/source/backend/utils/PluginDiscovery.cpp b/source/backend/utils/PluginDiscovery.cpp
index 24788c0f5..b34943ca3 100644
--- a/source/backend/utils/PluginDiscovery.cpp
+++ b/source/backend/utils/PluginDiscovery.cpp
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ private:
             {
                 helperTool = options.wine.executable.buffer();
 
-                if (helperTool[0] == CARLA_OS_SEP && File(helperTool + "64").existsAsFile())
+                if (helperTool.isNotEmpty() && helperTool[0] == CARLA_OS_SEP && File(helperTool + "64").existsAsFile())
                     helperTool += "64";
             }
             else
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ private:
 
             if (envWinePrefix != nullptr && envWinePrefix[0] != '\0')
                 winePrefix = envWinePrefix;
-            else if (options.wine.fallbackPrefix != nullptr && options.wine.fallbackPrefix[0] != '\0')
+            else if (options.wine.fallbackPrefix.isNotEmpty() && options.wine.fallbackPrefix[0] != '\0')
                 winePrefix = options.wine.fallbackPrefix.buffer();
             else
                 winePrefix = File::getSpecialLocation(File::userHomeDirectory).getFullPathName() + "/.wine";
diff --git a/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.cpp b/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.cpp
index b28e59a57..90423daf3 100644
--- a/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.cpp
+++ b/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Carla Pipe Utilities
- * Copyright (C) 2013-2023 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
+ * Copyright (C) 2013-2024 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
diff --git a/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.hpp b/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.hpp
index dd05d0f65..ce3163e94 100644
--- a/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.hpp
+++ b/source/utils/CarlaPipeUtils.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Carla Pipe utils
- * Copyright (C) 2013-2023 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
+ * Copyright (C) 2013-2024 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
diff --git a/source/utils/CarlaString.hpp b/source/utils/CarlaString.hpp
index 1959d9830..d2602380b 100644
--- a/source/utils/CarlaString.hpp
+++ b/source/utils/CarlaString.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Carla String
- * Copyright (C) 2013-2023 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
+ * Copyright (C) 2013-2024 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
@@ -722,8 +722,7 @@ public:
 
         carla_safe_assert("pos < fBufferLen", __FILE__, __LINE__);
 
-        static char fallback;
-        fallback = '\0';
+        static char fallback = '\0';
         return fallback;
     }
 
@@ -734,8 +733,7 @@ public:
 
         carla_safe_assert("pos < fBufferLen", __FILE__, __LINE__);
 
-        static char fallback;
-        fallback = '\0';
+        static char fallback = '\0';
         return fallback;
     }