diff --git a/src/common/intl.cpp b/src/common/intl.cpp
index 46a21f8bad..aee8a90b39 100644
--- a/src/common/intl.cpp
+++ b/src/common/intl.cpp
@@ -479,7 +479,8 @@ wxLocale::~wxLocale()
 const char *wxLocale::GetString(const char *szOrigString,
                                 const char *szDomain) const
 {
-  wxASSERT( szOrigString != NULL ); // would be pretty silly
+  if ( IsEmpty(szOrigString) )
+      return szDomain;
 
   const char *pszTrans = NULL;
 
diff --git a/src/common/mimetype.cpp b/src/common/mimetype.cpp
index 2c039a62ed..e4dcc9cf34 100644
--- a/src/common/mimetype.cpp
+++ b/src/common/mimetype.cpp
@@ -1170,9 +1170,9 @@ void wxMimeTypesManagerImpl::ReadMailcap(const wxString& strFileName)
                                     // programmer
                                     wxLogDebug
                                     (
-                                      _("Mailcap file %s, line %d: unknown "
-                                        "field '%s' for the MIME type "
-                                        "'%s' ignored."),
+                                      "Mailcap file %s, line %d: unknown "
+                                      "field '%s' for the MIME type "
+                                      "'%s' ignored.",
                                       strFileName.c_str(),
                                       nLine + 1,
                                       curField.c_str(),