diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/ProxyConfiguration.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/ProxyConfiguration.java
index 7eeb718b57..f79d15ef1d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/ProxyConfiguration.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/ProxyConfiguration.java
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ public final class ProxyConfiguration extends AbstractDescribableImpl<ProxyConfi
     private static ProxyConfiguration _get() {
         JenkinsJVM.checkJenkinsJVM();
         // this code could be called between the JVM flag being set and theInstance initialized
-        Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.get();
+        Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.getInstanceOrNull();
         return jenkins == null ? null : jenkins.proxy;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/console/ConsoleNote.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/console/ConsoleNote.java
index 6625812e0e..4d2e2c2530 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/console/ConsoleNote.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/console/ConsoleNote.java
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ public abstract class ConsoleNote<T> implements Serializable, Describable<Consol
                 }
             }
 
-            Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.get();
+            Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.getInstanceOrNull();
+
             try (ObjectInputStream ois = new ObjectInputStreamEx(new GZIPInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(buf)),
                     jenkins != null ? jenkins.pluginManager.uberClassLoader : ConsoleNote.class.getClassLoader(),
                     ClassFilter.DEFAULT)) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Cause.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Cause.java
index a9dafcb59b..08f6655236 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Cause.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Cause.java
@@ -333,7 +333,6 @@ public abstract class Cause {
             public ConverterImpl(XStream2 xstream) { super(xstream); }
             @Override protected void callback(UpstreamCause uc, UnmarshallingContext context) {
                 if (uc.upstreamCause != null) {
-                    if (uc.upstreamCauses == null) uc.upstreamCauses = new ArrayList<>();
                     uc.upstreamCauses.add(uc.upstreamCause);
                     uc.upstreamCause = null;
                     OldDataMonitor.report(context, "1.288");
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Items.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Items.java
index f7329c7ee3..c6b06e322c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Items.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Items.java
@@ -225,10 +225,7 @@ public class Items {
         final Jenkins jenkins = Jenkins.get();
         
         List<T> r = new ArrayList<>();
-        if (jenkins == null) {
-            return r;
-        }
-        
+
         StringTokenizer tokens = new StringTokenizer(list,",");
         while(tokens.hasMoreTokens()) {
             String fullName = tokens.nextToken().trim();
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Result.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Result.java
index ea912c856d..1af9c4eb45 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Result.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/Result.java
@@ -195,9 +195,10 @@ public final class Result implements Serializable, CustomExportedBean {
         public int parseArguments(Parameters params) throws CmdLineException {
             String param = params.getParameter(0);
             Result v = fromString(param.replace('-', '_'));
-            if (v==null)
+            if (v== FAILURE) {
                 throw new CmdLineException(owner,"No such status '"+param+"'. Did you mean "+
                         EditDistance.findNearest(param.replace('-', '_').toUpperCase(), getNames()));
+            }
             setter.addValue(v);
             return 1;
         }