diff --git a/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp b/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
index 7dca7169cc2..7ee83956204 100644
--- a/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/H5PropList.cpp
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ PropList::getPropSize(const H5std_string &name) const
 // Function:    PropList::getClassName
 ///\brief       Return the name of a generic property list class.
 ///\return      A string containing the class name, if success, otherwise,
-///             a NULL string.
+///             an empty string.
 // Programmer:  Binh-Minh Ribler - April, 2004
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 H5std_string
@@ -557,8 +557,9 @@ PropList::getClassName() const
         return (class_name);
     }
     else
-        return 0;
+        return "";
 }
+
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Function:    PropList::getNumProps
 ///\brief       Returns the number of properties in this property list or class.
diff --git a/src/H5public.h b/src/H5public.h
index dbccbf81587..e7ed5182b59 100644
--- a/src/H5public.h
+++ b/src/H5public.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX 1
 #endif
 #ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
-#define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX  1
+#define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX 1
 #endif
 #include <mpi.h>
 #ifndef MPI_FILE_NULL /* MPIO may be defined in mpi.h already */