diff --git a/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java b/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
index daaa3a6..ab4bc4e 100644
--- a/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
+++ b/src/tinystruct/examples/smalltalk.java
@@ -213,7 +213,8 @@ 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)) {
+      List<String> list;
+      if((list = sessions.get(meetingCode)) != null && list.contains(sessionId)) {
         return this.update(sessionId);
       }
       error = "{ \"error\": \"session-timeout\" }";
@@ -330,7 +331,7 @@ public void sessionDestroyed(HttpSessionEvent arg0) {
 
       Queue<Builder> messages;
       List<String> session_ids;
-      synchronized (this.meetings) {        
+      synchronized (this.meetings) {
         if((session_ids = this.sessions.get(meetingCode)) != null) {
           session_ids.remove(arg0.getSession().getId());
         }
diff --git a/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java b/src/tinystruct/examples/talk.java
index 6897252..61b607e 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 = null;
+    Builder message;
     Queue<Builder> messages;
     synchronized (this.list) {
       messages = this.list.get(sessionId);
-      while(messages != null && (message = messages.poll()) == null) {
+      while((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 != null ? message.toString() : "";
+      return message.toString();
     }
   }