diff --git a/src/OSspecific/Unix/Unix.C b/src/OSspecific/Unix/Unix.C
index fa92f10b27..07cd954624 100644
--- a/src/OSspecific/Unix/Unix.C
+++ b/src/OSspecific/Unix/Unix.C
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ Foam::string Foam::getEnv(const word& envName)
     }
     else
     {
-        return string::null;
+        // Return null-constructed string rather than string::null
+        // to avoid cyclic dependencies in the construction of globals
+        return string();
     }
 }
 
@@ -277,7 +279,9 @@ Foam::fileName Foam::findEtcFile(const fileName& name, bool mandatory)
         ::exit(1);
     }
 
-    return fileName::null;
+    // Return null-constructed fileName rather than fileName::null
+    // to avoid cyclic dependencies in the construction of globals
+    return fileName();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver b/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
index 8bcd7e7728..66886d5998 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@ Description
 
 const char* const Foam::FOAMversion = "WM_PROJECT_VERSION";
 
-// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
-// Static initializers for string::null, word::null and fileName::null
-
-#include "stringsGlobals.C"
-
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 // Setup an error handler for the global new operator
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
index df57346cf8..346ea61a27 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pid_t pgid();
 bool env(const word&);
 
 //- Return environment variable of given name
-//  Return string::null if the environment is undefined
+//  Return string() if the environment is undefined
 string getEnv(const word& name);
 
 //- Set an environment variable
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ bool chDir(const fileName& dir);
 //  -# shipped settings:
 //    - $WM_PROJECT_DIR/etc/
 //
-//  @return the full path name or fileName::null if the name cannot be found
+//  @return the full path name or fileName() if the name cannot be found
 //  Optionally abort if the file cannot be found
 fileName findEtcFile(const fileName& name, bool mandatory=false);
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
index 8545d03a95..2f669a839a 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ License
 
 const char* const Foam::fileName::typeName = "fileName";
 int Foam::fileName::debug(debug::debugSwitch(fileName::typeName, 0));
+const Foam::fileName Foam::fileName::null;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
index da918d09e1..f9a863e10f 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ License
 
 const char* const Foam::string::typeName = "string";
 int Foam::string::debug(debug::debugSwitch(string::typeName, 0));
+const Foam::string Foam::string::null;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/stringsGlobals.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/stringsGlobals.C
index 9d0d201a5e..7f4431da7c 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/stringsGlobals.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/stringsGlobals.C
@@ -38,8 +38,4 @@ Description
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Static Data Members * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-const Foam::string Foam::string::null;
-const Foam::word Foam::word::null;
-const Foam::fileName Foam::fileName::null;
-
 // ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
index c890046657..d80966ebf0 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@ License
 
 const char* const Foam::word::typeName = "word";
 int Foam::word::debug(Foam::debug::debugSwitch(word::typeName, 0));
+const Foam::word Foam::word::null;
 
 // ************************************************************************* //