diff --git a/src/g_statusbar/hudmessages.cpp b/src/g_statusbar/hudmessages.cpp
index 9a57741ba..0906b6b54 100644
--- a/src/g_statusbar/hudmessages.cpp
+++ b/src/g_statusbar/hudmessages.cpp
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ void DHUDMessageTypeOnFadeOut::Serialize(FSerializer &arc)
 
 bool DHUDMessageTypeOnFadeOut::Tick ()
 {
-	if (LineLen > 0 && !Super::Tick ())
+	if (!Super::Tick ())
 	{
 		if (State == 3)
 		{
diff --git a/src/utility/zstring.cpp b/src/utility/zstring.cpp
index d4ad5ec89..51c3a1ffe 100644
--- a/src/utility/zstring.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/zstring.cpp
@@ -393,8 +393,8 @@ size_t FString::CharacterCount() const
 
 int FString::GetNextCharacter(int &position) const
 {
-	const uint8_t *cp = (const uint8_t*)Chars;
-	const uint8_t *cpread = cp + position;
+	const uint8_t *cp = (const uint8_t*)Chars + position;
+	const uint8_t *cpread = cp;
 	int chr = GetCharFromString(cpread);
 	position += int(cpread - cp);
 	return chr;