diff --git a/python/lammps/__init__.py b/python/lammps/__init__.py
index 3e538d3e49..a51e0db207 100644
--- a/python/lammps/__init__.py
+++ b/python/lammps/__init__.py
@@ -29,14 +29,16 @@ def get_version_number():
         try:
             vstring = version('lammps')
         except:
-            vstring = None
+            # nothing to do, ignore
+            pass
 
     else:
         from pkg_resources import get_distribution
         try:
             vstring = get_distribution('lammps').version
         except:
-            vstring = None
+            # nothing to do, ignore
+            pass
 
     if not vstring:
         return 0
diff --git a/python/lammps/core.py b/python/lammps/core.py
index 1a8f62094b..c4d5bff591 100644
--- a/python/lammps/core.py
+++ b/python/lammps/core.py
@@ -778,6 +778,8 @@ class lammps(object):
     elif dtype == LAMMPS_STRING:
       self.lib.lammps_extract_global.restype = c_char_p
       target_type = str
+    else:
+      target_type = None
 
     ptr = self.lib.lammps_extract_global(self.lmp, name)
     if ptr: