diff --git a/mods/HELP/tt/init.lua b/mods/HELP/tt/init.lua
index 8cc893d47..eba65c22a 100644
--- a/mods/HELP/tt/init.lua
+++ b/mods/HELP/tt/init.lua
@@ -20,23 +20,12 @@ dofile(minetest.get_modpath(minetest.get_current_modname()).."/snippets.lua")
 -- Apply item description updates
 
 local function apply_snippets(desc, itemstring, toolcaps, itemstack)
-	local first = true
 	-- Apply snippets
 	for s=1, #tt.registered_snippets do
 		local str, snippet_color = tt.registered_snippets[s](itemstring, toolcaps, itemstack)
-		if snippet_color == nil then
-			snippet_color = tt.COLOR_DEFAULT
-		end
 		if str then
-			if first then
-				first = false
-			end
-			desc = desc .. "\n"
-			if snippet_color then
-				desc = desc .. minetest.colorize(snippet_color, str)
-			else
-				desc = desc .. str
-			end
+			if snippet_color == nil then snippet_color = tt.COLOR_DEFAULT end
+			desc = desc .. "\n" .. (snippet_color and minetest.colorize(snippet_color, str) or str)
 		end
 	end
 	return desc
@@ -67,10 +56,7 @@ function tt.reload_itemstack_description(itemstack)
 	if def and def._mcl_generate_description then
 		def._mcl_generate_description(itemstack)
 	elseif should_change(itemstring, def) then
-		local toolcaps
-		if def.tool_capabilities then
-			toolcaps = itemstack:get_tool_capabilities()
-		end
+		local toolcaps = def.tool_capabilities and itemstack:get_tool_capabilities()
 		local orig_desc = def._tt_original_description or def.description
 		if meta:get_string("name") ~= "" then
 			orig_desc = minetest.colorize(tt.NAME_COLOR, meta:get_string("name"))
@@ -78,17 +64,13 @@ function tt.reload_itemstack_description(itemstack)
 			local potency = meta:get_int("mcl_potions:potion_potent")
 			local plus = meta:get_int("mcl_potions:potion_plus")
 			if potency > 0 then
-				local sym_potency = mcl_util.to_roman(potency+1)
-				orig_desc = orig_desc.. " ".. sym_potency
+				orig_desc = orig_desc .. " " .. mcl_util.to_roman(potency+1)
 			end
 			if plus > 0 then
-				local sym_plus = " "
-				local i = plus
-				while i>0 do
-					i = i - 1
-					sym_plus = sym_plus.. "+"
+				orig_desc = orig_desc .. " "
+				for i = 1, plus do
+					orig_desc = orig_desc .. "+"
 				end
-				orig_desc = orig_desc.. sym_plus
 			end
 		end
 		local desc = apply_snippets(orig_desc, itemstring, toolcaps or def.tool_capabilities, itemstack)
diff --git a/mods/HELP/tt/snippets.lua b/mods/HELP/tt/snippets.lua
index 694b22513..69956385e 100644
--- a/mods/HELP/tt/snippets.lua
+++ b/mods/HELP/tt/snippets.lua
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
 -- Custom text (_tt_help)
 tt.register_snippet(function(itemstring)
 	local def = minetest.registered_items[itemstring]
-	if def._tt_help then
-		return def._tt_help
-	end
+	return def and def._tt_help or nil
 end)