diff --git a/src/game/activemenu.c b/src/game/activemenu.c
index d99cf625b..37cfd4fa6 100644
--- a/src/game/activemenu.c
+++ b/src/game/activemenu.c
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ static Gfx *amRenderSlot(Gfx *gdl, char *text, s16 x, s16 y, s32 mode, s32 flags
 		paddingbottom = 3;
 	}
 
-	if (text == NULL || strcmp(text, "") == 0) {
+	if (text == NULL || text[0] == '\0') {
 		return gdl;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/game/activemenutick.c b/src/game/activemenutick.c
index 9c105faf1..9cb57893c 100644
--- a/src/game/activemenutick.c
+++ b/src/game/activemenutick.c
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void amTick(void)
 
 						amGetSlotDetails(slotnum, &flags, text);
 
-						if (strcmp(text, "") == 0) {
+						if (text[0] == '\0') {
 							gotoslot = false;
 						}
 
diff --git a/src/game/menu.c b/src/game/menu.c
index dacc7dda4..b3e8f4e73 100644
--- a/src/game/menu.c
+++ b/src/game/menu.c
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ static void menuCalculateItemSize(struct menuitem *item, s16 *width, s16 *height
 	case MENUITEMTYPE_DROPDOWN:
 		text = menuResolveParam2Text(item);
 
-		if (text && strcmp(text, "") == 0) {
+		if (text && text[0] == '\0') {
 			*width = 0;
 			*height = 0;
 		} else {
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static void menuCalculateItemSize(struct menuitem *item, s16 *width, s16 *height
 
 		if (text == NULL) {
 			*width = 120;
-		} else if (strcmp(text, "") == 0) {
+		} else if (text[0] == '\0') {
 			*width = 0;
 			*height = 0;
 		} else {
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ static void menuCalculateItemSize(struct menuitem *item, s16 *width, s16 *height
 			font = g_FontHandelGothicMd;
 		}
 
-		if (strcmp(text, "") == 0) {
+		if (text[0] == '\0') {
 			*height = 0;
 			*width = *height;
 		} else {
@@ -650,8 +650,7 @@ static void menuCalculateItemSize(struct menuitem *item, s16 *width, s16 *height
 			if ((item->flags & (MENUITEMFLAG_LABEL_HASRIGHTTEXT | MENUITEMFLAG_BIGFONT)) == 0) {
 				text = menuResolveText(item->param3, item);
 
-				// @bug: This is not how you check for an empty string
-				if (text != NULL && text != "") {
+				if (text != NULL) {
 					textMeasure(&textheight, &textwidth, text, chars, font, 0);
 					*width += textwidth + 5;
 
diff --git a/src/game/menuitem.c b/src/game/menuitem.c
index 2d77bcf18..3458a4b5d 100644
--- a/src/game/menuitem.c
+++ b/src/game/menuitem.c
@@ -1895,8 +1895,7 @@ static Gfx *menuitemLabelRender(Gfx *gdl, struct menurendercontext *context)
 		// Right side text
 		text = menuResolveText(context->item->param3, context->item);
 
-		// This is not how you check if a string is empty...
-		if (text != NULL && text != "") {
+		if (text != NULL) {
 			s32 textheight;
 			s32 textwidth;
 
@@ -2114,8 +2113,7 @@ static Gfx *menuitemSelectableRender(Gfx *gdl, struct menurendercontext *context
 		// Right side text
 		text = menuResolveText(context->item->param3, context->item);
 
-		// This is not how you check if a string is empty...
-		if (text != NULL && text != "") {
+		if (text != NULL) {
 			s32 textheight;
 			s32 textwidth;
 
@@ -2653,7 +2651,7 @@ static char *menuitemScrollableGetText(u32 type)
  */
 static Gfx *menuitemScrollableRender(Gfx *gdl, struct menurendercontext *context)
 {
-	char alltext[8000] = "";
+	char alltext[8000];
 	char headingtext[8000];
 	char bodytext[8000];
 	bool prevwaslinebreak;
@@ -2667,6 +2665,8 @@ static Gfx *menuitemScrollableRender(Gfx *gdl, struct menurendercontext *context
 	char *rawtext;
 	s32 paddingright = 24;
 
+	alltext[0] = '\0';
+
 	rawtext = menuitemScrollableGetText(context->item->param);
 
 	if (menuIsScrollableUnscrollable(context->item)) {
@@ -2764,7 +2764,7 @@ static bool menuitemScrollableTick(struct menuitem *item, struct menudialog *dia
 	u32 stack;
 
 	if ((s16)dialog->height != data->scrollable.unk06) {
-		char wrapped[8000] = "";
+		char wrapped[8000];
 		char *rawtext;
 		s32 width;
 		s32 height;
@@ -2773,6 +2773,8 @@ static bool menuitemScrollableTick(struct menuitem *item, struct menudialog *dia
 		s16 colwidth;
 		s16 rowheight;
 
+		wrapped[0] = '\0';
+
 		dialogFindItem(dialog, item, &rowindex, &colindex);
 
 		colwidth = g_Menus[g_MpPlayerNum].cols[colindex].width;
diff --git a/src/game/propobj.c b/src/game/propobj.c
index d5450aa96..1dbf1568e 100644
--- a/src/game/propobj.c
+++ b/src/game/propobj.c
@@ -14802,7 +14802,7 @@ static void weaponGetPickupText(char *buffer, s32 weaponnum, bool dual)
 
 void currentPlayerQueuePickupWeaponHudmsg(u32 weaponnum, bool dual)
 {
-	char buffer[100] = "";
+	char buffer[100];
 
 	weaponGetPickupText(buffer, weaponnum, dual);
 	hudmsgCreateWithFlags(buffer, HUDMSGTYPE_DEFAULT, HUDMSGFLAG_ONLYIFALIVE | HUDMSGFLAG_ALLOWDUPES);