diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 06abb37c2..baf57565c 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -362,11 +362,9 @@ int target_process_reset(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx)
 						command_print(cmd_ctx, "Timed out waiting for reset");
 						goto done;
 					}
-					/* this will send alive messages on e.g. GDB remote protocol.
-					 * GDB warns me that I'm sending a zero length formatting message,
-					 * which is strange, but in fact what is intended here. */
+					/* this will send alive messages on e.g. GDB remote protocol. */
 					usleep(500*1000); 
-					USER_N(""); 
+					USER_N("%s", ""); /* avoid warning about zero length formatting message*/ 
 					goto again;
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/src/target/xscale.c b/src/target/xscale.c
index 30b25cb73..322df7626 100644
--- a/src/target/xscale.c
+++ b/src/target/xscale.c
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ int xscale_receive(target_t *target, u32 *buffer, int num_words)
 
 	jtag_add_end_state(TAP_RTI);
 	xscale_jtag_set_instr(xscale->jtag_info.chain_pos, xscale->jtag_info.dbgtx);
-	jtag_add_runtest(1, -1);
+	jtag_add_runtest(1, -1); /* ensures that we're in the TAP_RTI state as the above could be a no-op */
 
 	/* repeat until all words have been collected */
 	int attempts=0;