diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index 3e48aed795..9d7e58ed9c 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -9773,7 +9773,7 @@ eval_vars(
 {
     int		i;
     char_u	*s;
-    char_u	*result;
+    char_u	*result = (char_u *)"";
     char_u	*resultbuf = NULL;
     size_t	resultlen;
     buf_T	*buf;
@@ -10064,10 +10064,6 @@ eval_vars(
 #endif
 		break;
 #endif
-
-	default:
-		result = (char_u *)""; // avoid gcc warning
-		break;
 	}
 
 	resultlen = STRLEN(result);	// length of new string
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 903c459b95..5603415e66 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -724,6 +724,8 @@ static char *(features[]) =
 
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
+/**/
+    1724,
 /**/
     1723,
 /**/