diff --git a/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java b/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
index ac30d6394..20c9ca831 100644
--- a/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
+++ b/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/RepoXMLHandler.java
@@ -103,10 +103,7 @@ public class RepoXMLHandler extends DefaultHandler {
 
         super.endElement(uri, localName, qName);
         final String curel = localName;
-        String str = curchars.toString();
-        if (str != null) {
-            str = str.trim();
-        }
+        String str = curchars.toString().trim();
 
         if (curel.equals("application") && curapp != null) {
             apps.add(curapp);
@@ -122,7 +119,7 @@ public class RepoXMLHandler extends DefaultHandler {
         } else if (curel.equals("package") && curapk != null && curapp != null) {
             apksList.add(curapk);
             curapk = null;
-        } else if (curapk != null && str != null) {
+        } else if (curapk != null) {
             switch (curel) {
             case "version":
                 curapk.version = str;
@@ -172,7 +169,7 @@ public class RepoXMLHandler extends DefaultHandler {
                 curapk.nativecode = Utils.CommaSeparatedList.make(str);
                 break;
             }
-        } else if (curapp != null && str != null) {
+        } else if (curapp != null) {
             switch (curel) {
             case "name":
                 curapp.name = str;
diff --git a/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/localrepo/LocalRepoService.java b/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/localrepo/LocalRepoService.java
index e90502113..35771e460 100644
--- a/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/localrepo/LocalRepoService.java
+++ b/F-Droid/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/localrepo/LocalRepoService.java
@@ -212,10 +212,6 @@ public class LocalRepoService extends Service {
                         LocalRepoService.this,
                         getFilesDir(),
                         Preferences.get().isLocalRepoHttpsEnabled());
-                if (localHttpd == null) {
-                    Log.e(TAG, "localHttpd == null!");
-                    return;
-                }
 
                 Looper.prepare(); // must be run before creating a Handler
                 webServerThreadHandler = new Handler() {