diff --git a/include/maxscale/buffer.hh b/include/maxscale/buffer.hh
index 619aed780..845861a42 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/buffer.hh
+++ b/include/maxscale/buffer.hh
@@ -1099,7 +1099,7 @@ public:
      */
     size_t length() const
     {
-        return gwbuf_length(m_pBuffer);
+        return m_pBuffer ? gwbuf_length(m_pBuffer) : 0;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/server/core/backend.cc b/server/core/backend.cc
index f45bb077c..d060fb66d 100644
--- a/server/core/backend.cc
+++ b/server/core/backend.cc
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ bool Backend::write_stored_command()
     mxb_assert(in_use());
     bool rval = false;
 
-    if (m_pending_cmd.length())
+    if (!m_pending_cmd.empty())
     {
         rval = write(m_pending_cmd.release());