diff --git a/src/Airports/airport.cxx b/src/Airports/airport.cxx
index 683d0af04..0e1fbc443 100644
--- a/src/Airports/airport.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/airport.cxx
@@ -189,11 +189,14 @@ bool FGAirport::hasHelipadWithIdent(const std::string& aIdent) const
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FGRunwayRef FGAirport::getRunwayByIdent(const std::string& aIdent) const
 {
-  loadRunways();
-  for (auto rwy : mRunways) {
-    if (rwy->ident() == aIdent) {
-      return rwy;
-    }
+    if (aIdent.empty())
+        return {};
+
+    loadRunways();
+    for (auto rwy : mRunways) {
+        if (rwy->ident() == aIdent) {
+            return rwy;
+        }
   }
 
   SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_ALERT, "no such runway '" << aIdent << "' at airport " << ident());
diff --git a/src/Airports/dynamics.cxx b/src/Airports/dynamics.cxx
index 577e4f27f..d67247a9d 100644
--- a/src/Airports/dynamics.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/dynamics.cxx
@@ -796,10 +796,11 @@ bool FGAirportDynamics::innerGetActiveRunway(const string & trafficType,
 
     if (action == 2)            // landing
     {
-        int nr = landing.size();
-        if (nr) {
+        if (!landing.empty()) {
             runway = chooseRwyByHeading(landing, heading);
-        } else {                //fallback
+        }
+        
+        if (runway.empty()) { //fallback
             runway = chooseRunwayFallback();
         }
     }