diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver b/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
index e2f411603e..5f409deeba 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/global/global.Cver
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ 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/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
index 5eeadf9633..ac63f91426 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ 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 38393bfca7..268a4fb2dc 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/string/string.C
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ 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/word/word.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
index 6cb36b1af2..8441553301 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.C
@@ -31,6 +31,5 @@ License
 
 const char* const Foam::word::typeName = "word";
 int Foam::word::debug(Foam::debug::debugSwitch(word::typeName, 0));
-const Foam::word Foam::word::null;
 
 // ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/uint/uintIO.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/uint/uintIO.C
index 5729cfd3bd..a40d4b7f5f 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/uint/uintIO.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/uint/uintIO.C
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ namespace Foam
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-// Return a string representation of an uint
 word name(const unsigned int i)
 {
     std::ostringstream osBuffer;
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ Istream& operator>>(Istream& is, unsigned int& i)
 
     if (t.isLabel())
     {
-        i = (unsigned int)(t.labelToken());
+        i = unsigned(t.labelToken());
     }
     else
     {