diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
index 4aa9d05a5..b0dbb5163 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
@@ -197,9 +197,13 @@ public class JNIThread extends Thread implements AutoCloseable {
             m_queue.clear();
         }
 
+        boolean success = false;
+        DictUtils.DictPairs pairs = null;
         String[] dictNames = GameUtils.dictNames( context, m_lock );
-        DictUtils.DictPairs pairs = DictUtils.openDicts( context, dictNames );
-        boolean success = !pairs.anyMissing( dictNames );
+        if ( null != dictNames ) {
+            pairs = DictUtils.openDicts( context, dictNames );
+            success = !pairs.anyMissing( dictNames );
+        }
 
         if ( success ) {
             byte[] stream = GameUtils.savedGame( context, m_lock );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 3f969ab82..670eb6505 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -2527,7 +2527,7 @@
     another crash. Do you want to open it anyway?</string>
     <string name="unsafe_open_disregard">Open anyway</string>
 
-    <string name="word_blocked_by_phony">Word %1$s not found in wordlist %2$s</string>
+    <string name="word_blocked_by_phony">Word %1$s not found in wordlist %2$s.</string>
 
     <string name="gamel_menu_logs">Debug logs</string>
     <!-- Debug-build-only menu to turn on saving of logs -->