diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 818a900a..81b2c061 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 procps-3.1.1 --> procps-3.1.2
 
 better RPM generation
-general C99 clean-up
+use C99 features
 some seLinux fixes
 now count Inact_laundry as needed  #172163
 ps: fewer globals
 ps: hardware-enforced buffer protection
-ps: smaller (was it 1 kB or 2 kB ?)
+ps: 1 kB smaller
 top: B command added (for bold on/off)
 top: handle old (and future) config files
 top: man page tweak
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ vmstat faster on 2.5.xx kernels
 vmstat header fixed
 vmstat -a re-fixed
 
-procps-3.1.0 --> procps-3.1.0
+procps-3.0.5 --> procps-3.1.0
 
 vmstat displays IO-wait time instead of bogus "w"
 can build w/o shared library (set SHARED=0)
diff --git a/top.c b/top.c
index b70f57be..2dad1991 100644
--- a/top.c
+++ b/top.c
@@ -1272,8 +1272,9 @@ static int rc_read_old (const char *const buf, RCF_t *rc) {
       if (scoreboard[c|0xe0u]) badchar++;       // duplicates not allowed
       scoreboard[c|0xe0u]++;
       tmp = strchr(old,c);
-      if (tmp) c = *((tmp-old)+std);
-      else     c = '.';
+      if (!tmp) continue;
+      c = *((tmp-old)+std);
+      if (c == '.') continue;
       if (scoreboard[c&0x1fu]) badchar++;       // duplicates not allowed
       scoreboard[c&0x1fu]++;
       rc->win[0].fieldscur[u++] = c;