diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c b/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
index f1860be01..aa3c3c58c 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
@@ -249,15 +249,15 @@ and_util_turnChanged(XW_UtilCtxt* uc)
 static void
 and_util_informMove( XW_UtilCtxt* uc, XWStreamCtxt* expl, XWStreamCtxt* words )
 {
-    if ( !!words ) {
-        UTIL_CBK_HEADER( "informMove", "(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)V" );
-        jstring jexpl = streamToJString( env, expl );
-        jstring jwords = streamToJString( env, words );
-        (*env)->CallVoidMethod( env, util->jutil, mid, jexpl, jwords );
-        (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jexpl );
+    UTIL_CBK_HEADER( "informMove", "(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)V" );
+    jstring jexpl = streamToJString( env, expl );
+    jstring jwords = !!words ? streamToJString( env, words ) : NULL;
+    (*env)->CallVoidMethod( env, util->jutil, mid, jexpl, jwords );
+    (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jexpl );
+    if ( !!jwords ) {
         (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jwords );
-        UTIL_CBK_TAIL();
     }
+    UTIL_CBK_TAIL();
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardActivity.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardActivity.java
index c7a240d93..f00b8eaac 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardActivity.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardActivity.java
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ public class BoardActivity extends XWActivity
         {
             m_dlgBytes = expl;
             m_dlgTitle = R.string.info_title;
-            m_words = wordsToArray( words );
+            m_words = null == words? null : wordsToArray( words );
             waitBlockingDialog( DLG_SCORES_BLK, 0 );
         }