diff --git a/lib/widget/input.c b/lib/widget/input.c
index 7b6b304c6..d13b93c02 100644
--- a/lib/widget/input.c
+++ b/lib/widget/input.c
@@ -1219,6 +1219,14 @@ input_assign_text (WInput * in, const char *text)
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
+gboolean
+input_is_empty (const WInput * in)
+{
+    return (in == NULL || in->buffer == NULL || in->buffer[0] == '\0');
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
 /* Inserts text in input line */
 void
 input_insert (WInput * in, const char *text, gboolean insert_extra_space)
diff --git a/lib/widget/input.h b/lib/widget/input.h
index a7c01a3e3..bba310f9b 100644
--- a/lib/widget/input.h
+++ b/lib/widget/input.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ void input_set_default_colors (void);
 cb_ret_t input_handle_char (WInput * in, int key);
 int input_key_is_in_map (WInput * in, int key);
 void input_assign_text (WInput * in, const char *text);
+gboolean input_is_empty (const WInput * in);
 void input_insert (WInput * in, const char *text, gboolean insert_extra_space);
 void input_set_point (WInput * in, int pos);
 void input_update (WInput * in, gboolean clear_first);
diff --git a/src/filemanager/cmd.c b/src/filemanager/cmd.c
index 4043c2d55..188458985 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/cmd.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/cmd.c
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ view_filtered_cmd (void)
     char *command;
     const char *initial_command;
 
-    if (cmdline->buffer[0] == '\0')
+    if (input_is_empty (cmdline))
         initial_command = selection (current_panel)->fname;
     else
         initial_command = cmdline->buffer;
diff --git a/src/filemanager/find.c b/src/filemanager/find.c
index e92994ee6..f7d55d39e 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/find.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/find.c
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ find_parameters (char **start_dir, ssize_t * start_dir_len,
                 *pattern = g_strdup (in_name->buffer);
             else
                 *pattern = g_strdup (options.file_pattern ? "*" : ".*");
-            *start_dir = in_start->buffer[0] != '\0' ? in_start->buffer : (char *) ".";
+            *start_dir = !input_is_empty (in_start) ? in_start->buffer : (char *) ".";
             if (in_start_dir != INPUT_LAST_TEXT)
                 g_free (in_start_dir);
             in_start_dir = g_strdup (*start_dir);
diff --git a/src/filemanager/panelize.c b/src/filemanager/panelize.c
index 3f4827487..592d542cd 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/panelize.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/panelize.c
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ add2panelize (char *label, char *command)
 static void
 add2panelize_cmd (void)
 {
-    if (pname->buffer != NULL && *pname->buffer != '\0')
+    if (!input_is_empty (pname))
     {
         char *label;
 
@@ -501,8 +501,6 @@ cd_panelize_cmd (void)
 void
 external_panelize (void)
 {
-    char *target = NULL;
-
     if (!vfs_current_is_local ())
     {
         message (D_ERROR, MSG_ERROR, _("Cannot run external panelize in a non-local directory"));
@@ -533,11 +531,11 @@ external_panelize (void)
         }
 
     case B_ENTER:
-        target = pname->buffer;
-        if (target != NULL && *target)
+        if (!input_is_empty (pname))
         {
-            char *cmd = g_strdup (target);
+            char *cmd;
 
+            cmd = g_strdup (pname->buffer);
             dlg_destroy (panelize_dlg);
             do_external_panelize (cmd);
             g_free (cmd);