diff --git a/activerecord/CHANGELOG.md b/activerecord/CHANGELOG.md
index 377debbc641f4..88f7dc61f5a23 100644
--- a/activerecord/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/activerecord/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## unreleased ##
 
 *   Removed redundant override of `xml` column definition for PG,
-    in order to use `xml` column type instead of `text`
+    in order to use `xml` column type instead of `text`.
 
     *Paul Nikitochkin*, *Michael Nikitochkin*
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/adapters/postgresql/xml_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/adapters/postgresql/xml_test.rb
index 974fbabd58866..bf14b378d8fe1 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/adapters/postgresql/xml_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/adapters/postgresql/xml_test.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ def test_column
 
   def test_null_xml
     @connection.execute %q|insert into xml_data_type (payload) VALUES(null)|
-    x = XmlDataType.first
-    assert_equal(nil, x.payload)
+    assert_nil XmlDataType.first.payload
   end
 end