diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm b/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
index c6d9567b1..e0a936d3d 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Actions.pm
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ sub process_action3( $$$$$ ) {
 		    $mdest = '';
 		}
 
-		$mdest   = '' if $mdest   eq '-';
+		$mdest   = '' if $mdest eq '-';
 
 		$mproto  = merge_macro_column $mproto,  $proto;
 		$mports  = merge_macro_column $mports,  $ports;
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Chains.pm b/New/Shorewall/Chains.pm
index f18fc71a9..a53b754d8 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Chains.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Chains.pm
@@ -603,10 +603,6 @@ sub do_proto( $$$ )
 
     my $output = '';
     
-    $proto  = '' unless defined $proto;
-    $ports  = '' unless defined $ports;
-    $sports = '' unless defined $sports;
-
     $proto  = '' if $proto  eq '-';
     $ports  = '' if $ports  eq '-';
     $sports = '' if $sports eq '-';
@@ -787,8 +783,6 @@ sub do_user( $ ) {
 sub do_tos( $ ) {
     my $tos = $_[0];
     
-    $tos = '-' unless $tos;
-
     $tos ne '-' ? "-m tos --tos $tos " : '';
 }    
 	
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm b/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
index 3a178585a..56201326f 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Interfaces.pm
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ sub validate_interfaces_file()
 
 	( $interfaces{$interface}{root} = $interface ) =~ s/\+$// ;
 
-	if ( $networks && $networks ne '-' && $networks ne 'detect' )
+	if ( $networks && $networks ne 'detect' )
 	{
 	    warning_message 'Shorewall no longer uses broadcast addresses in rule generation:' . $networks;
 	}
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm b/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
index b731df97e..8e91649ea 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Proxyarp.pm
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ my @proxyarp;
 sub setup_one_proxy_arp( $$$$$ ) {
     my ( $address, $interface, $external, $haveroute, $persistent) = @_;
 
-    $haveroute = '-' unless $haveroute;
-
     if ( "\L$haveroute" eq 'no' || $haveroute eq '-' ) {
 	$haveroute = '';
     } elsif ( "\L$haveroute" eq 'yes' ) {
@@ -53,8 +51,6 @@ sub setup_one_proxy_arp( $$$$$ ) {
 	fatal_error "Invalid value ($haveroute) for HAVEROUTE in Proxy Arp Entry \"$line\"";
     }
 
-    $persistent = '-' unless $persistent;
-
     if ( "\L$persistent" eq 'no' || $persistent eq '-' ) {
 	$persistent = '';
     } elsif ( "\L$persistent" eq 'yes' ) {
diff --git a/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm b/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
index 7dd30f1d2..d97f54ef8 100644
--- a/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
+++ b/New/Shorewall/Rules.pm
@@ -252,8 +252,6 @@ sub process_criticalhosts() {
 	    push @hosts, "$interface:$hosts";
 	}
 
-	$options = '-' unless $options;
-
 	unless ( $options eq '-' ) {
 	    for my $option (split /,/, $options ) {
 		unless ( $option eq 'routeback' || $option eq 'source' || $option eq 'dest' ) {
@@ -295,8 +293,6 @@ sub process_routestopped() {
 	    push @hosts, "$interface:$hosts";
 	}
 
-	$options = '-' unless $options;
-
 	unless ( $options eq '-' ) {
 	    for my $option (split /,/, $options ) {
 		if ( $option eq 'routeback' ) {