diff --git a/src/examples/media-session/policy-node.c b/src/examples/media-session/policy-node.c
index 41fe4d78e..1bcc6c257 100644
--- a/src/examples/media-session/policy-node.c
+++ b/src/examples/media-session/policy-node.c
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ static void refresh_auto_default_nodes(struct impl *impl)
 			const char *name = pw_properties_get(node->obj->obj.props, PW_KEY_NODE_NAME);
 			char buf[1024];
 
-			if (strzcmp(name, def->value) == 0)
+			if (name == NULL || strzcmp(name, def->value) == 0)
 				continue;
 
 			free(def->value);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index ae2bcb413..0c1167f8e 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ static void manager_metadata(void *data, struct pw_manager_object *o,
 			}
 			if ((changed = strzcmp(client->default_sink, value))) {
 				free(client->default_sink);
-				client->default_sink = strdup(value);
+				client->default_sink = value ? strdup(value) : NULL;
 			}
 		}
 		if (key == NULL || strcmp(key, "default.audio.source") == 0) {
@@ -966,7 +966,7 @@ static void manager_metadata(void *data, struct pw_manager_object *o,
 			}
 			if ((changed = strzcmp(client->default_source, value))) {
 				free(client->default_source);
-				client->default_source = strdup(value);
+				client->default_source = value ? strdup(value) : NULL;
 			}
 		}
 		if (changed)