diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 5d8c7c8a2a..1637e6d09e 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -11119,6 +11119,8 @@ get_buffer_lines(buf, start, end, retlist, rettv)
 {
     char_u	*p;
 
+    rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
+    rettv->vval.v_string = NULL;
     if (retlist && rettv_list_alloc(rettv) == FAIL)
 	return;
 
@@ -11131,8 +11133,6 @@ get_buffer_lines(buf, start, end, retlist, rettv)
 	    p = ml_get_buf(buf, start, FALSE);
 	else
 	    p = (char_u *)"";
-
-	rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
 	rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave(p);
     }
     else
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 82ccc55d49..fbfba649d7 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -738,6 +738,8 @@ static char *(features[]) =
 
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
+/**/
+    129,
 /**/
     128,
 /**/