diff --git a/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java b/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
index 65b81b0..daaa3a6 100644
--- a/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
+++ b/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
@@ -211,20 +211,18 @@ public String update() throws ApplicationException, IOException {
   }
 
   public String update(String meetingCode, String sessionId) throws ApplicationException, IOException {
+    String error = "{ \"error\": \"expired\" }";
     if (this.meetings.containsKey(meetingCode)) {
       if(sessions.get(meetingCode) != null && sessions.get(meetingCode).contains(sessionId)) {
         return this.update(sessionId);
       }
-      final HttpServletResponse response = (HttpServletResponse) this.context.getAttribute("HTTP_RESPONSE");
-      response.setContentType("application/json");
-      response.setStatus(403);
-      return "{ \"error\": \"session-timeout\" }";
+      error = "{ \"error\": \"session-timeout\" }";
     }
-    
+
     final HttpServletResponse response = (HttpServletResponse) this.context.getAttribute("HTTP_RESPONSE");
     response.setContentType("application/json");
     response.setStatus(403);
-    return "{ \"error\": \"expired\" }";
+    return error;
   }
 
   public String upload() throws ApplicationException {
@@ -329,19 +327,19 @@ public void sessionDestroyed(HttpSessionEvent arg0) {
       builder.put("time", format.format(new Date()));
       builder.put("cmd", "expired");
       this.save(meetingCode, builder);
-      
+
       Queue<Builder> messages;
       List<String> session_ids;
-      synchronized (meetings) {        
+      synchronized (this.meetings) {        
         if((session_ids = this.sessions.get(meetingCode)) != null) {
           session_ids.remove(arg0.getSession().getId());
         }
-        
-        if ((messages = meetings.get(meetingCode)) != null) {
+
+        if ((messages = this.meetings.get(meetingCode)) != null) {
           messages.remove(meetingCode);
         }
-        
-        meetings.notifyAll();
+
+        this.meetings.notifyAll();
       }
 
       synchronized (this.list) {
diff --git a/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java b/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java
index 61b607e..6897252 100644
--- a/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java
+++ b/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java
@@ -125,11 +125,11 @@ public void run() {
    * @throws IOException
    */
   public final String update(final String sessionId) throws ApplicationException, IOException {
-    Builder message;
+    Builder message = null;
     Queue<Builder> messages;
     synchronized (this.list) {
       messages = this.list.get(sessionId);
-      while((message = messages.poll()) == null) {
+      while(messages != null && (message = messages.poll()) == null) {
         try {
           this.list.wait(TIMEOUT);
         } catch (InterruptedException e) {
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public final String update(final String sessionId) throws ApplicationException,
         }
       }
 
-      return message.toString();
+      return message != null ? message.toString() : "";
     }
   }