diff --git a/wire/core/Fieldtype.php b/wire/core/Fieldtype.php
index 7e351889..f2f35366 100644
--- a/wire/core/Fieldtype.php
+++ b/wire/core/Fieldtype.php
@@ -1308,7 +1308,7 @@ abstract class Fieldtype extends WireData implements Module {
 			
 		} catch(\PDOException $e) {
 			if($e->getCode() == 23000) {
-				$message = sprintf($this->_('Value not allowed for field “%2$s” because it is already in use'), $field->name);
+				$message = sprintf($this->_('Value not allowed for field “%s” because it is already in use'), $field->name);
 				throw new WireDatabaseException($message, $e->getCode(), $e);
 			} else {
 				throw $e;
diff --git a/wire/core/Wire.php b/wire/core/Wire.php
index 96786bfe..0f7c401a 100644
--- a/wire/core/Wire.php
+++ b/wire/core/Wire.php
@@ -1365,7 +1365,7 @@ abstract class Wire implements WireTranslatable, WireFuelable, WireTrackable {
 		if($text !== null) {
 			if($text === true) $text = $msg;
 			$severe ? $this->error($text) : $this->warning($text);
-			if(strpos($text, $msg) === false) $msg = "$text - $msg";
+			if(strlen($msg) && strpos($text, $msg) === false) $msg = "$text - $msg";
 		}
 		if(in_array('exceptions', $config->logs) && $log) {
 			$msg .= " (in " . str_replace($config->paths->root, '/', $e->getFile()) . " line " . $e->getLine() . ")";