diff --git a/check.t b/check.t
index 70ba9bd..8d4a257 100644
--- a/check.t
+++ b/check.t
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $MirOS: src/bin/mksh/check.t,v 1.241 2008/11/09 20:32:16 tg Exp $
+# $MirOS: src/bin/mksh/check.t,v 1.242 2008/11/10 19:33:07 tg Exp $
 # $OpenBSD: bksl-nl.t,v 1.2 2001/01/28 23:04:56 niklas Exp $
 # $OpenBSD: history.t,v 1.5 2001/01/28 23:04:56 niklas Exp $
 # $OpenBSD: read.t,v 1.3 2003/03/10 03:48:16 david Exp $
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # http://www.research.att.com/~gsf/public/ifs.sh
 
 expected-stdout:
-	@(#)MIRBSD KSH R36 2008/11/09
+	@(#)MIRBSD KSH R36 2008/11/10
 description:
 	Check version of shell.
 stdin:
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index a17778a..0778c08 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include <locale.h>
 #endif
 
-__RCSID("$MirOS: src/bin/mksh/main.c,v 1.105 2008/10/28 14:32:41 tg Exp $");
+__RCSID("$MirOS: src/bin/mksh/main.c,v 1.106 2008/11/10 19:33:07 tg Exp $");
 
 extern char **environ;
 
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ errorf(const char *fmt, ...)
 
 	shl_stdout_ok = 0;	/* debugging: note that stdout not valid */
 	exstat = 1;
-	if (*fmt) {
+	if (*fmt != 1) {
 		error_prefix(true);
 		va_start(va, fmt);
 		shf_vfprintf(shl_out, fmt, va);
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ bi_errorf(const char *fmt, ...)
 
 	shl_stdout_ok = 0;	/* debugging: note that stdout not valid */
 	exstat = 1;
-	if (*fmt) {
+	if (*fmt != 1) {
 		error_prefix(true);
 		/* not set when main() calls parse_args() */
 		if (builtin_argv0)
diff --git a/sh.h b/sh.h
index 31f9757..3b8f510 100644
--- a/sh.h
+++ b/sh.h
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@
 #define __SCCSID(x)	__IDSTRING(sccsid,x)
 
 #ifdef EXTERN
-__RCSID("$MirOS: src/bin/mksh/sh.h,v 1.251 2008/11/09 20:32:18 tg Exp $");
+__RCSID("$MirOS: src/bin/mksh/sh.h,v 1.252 2008/11/10 19:33:08 tg Exp $");
 #endif
-#define MKSH_VERSION "R36 2008/11/09"
+#define MKSH_VERSION "R36 2008/11/10"
 
 #ifndef MKSH_INCLUDES_ONLY
 
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ EXTERN char shell_flags[FNFLAGS];
 /* null value for variable; comparision pointer for unset */
 EXTERN char null[] I__("");
 /* helpers for string pooling */
-EXTERN const char T_synerr[] I__("syntax error");
+#define T_synerr "syntax error"
 
 enum temp_type {
 	TT_HEREDOC_EXP,	/* expanded heredoc */
@@ -1411,18 +1411,8 @@ void warningf(bool, const char *, ...)
     __attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3)));
 void bi_errorf(const char *, ...)
     __attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-/*
- * circumvent compiler format string nonnull checking
- * we teach xlC to not bitch about zero-lengths, want
- * gcc to do it, and so gain double-checking benefits
- */
-#if defined(__xlC__)
-#define errorfz()	errorf("")
-#define bi_errorfz()	bi_errorf("")
-#else
-#define errorfz()	errorf(null)
-#define bi_errorfz()	bi_errorf(null)
-#endif
+#define errorfz()	errorf("\1")
+#define bi_errorfz()	bi_errorf("\1")
 void internal_errorf(const char *, ...)
     __attribute__((noreturn))
     __attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));