diff --git a/lib/common/output_text.c b/lib/common/output_text.c
index 76ae4ca4e1..06a51d10a2 100644
--- a/lib/common/output_text.c
+++ b/lib/common/output_text.c
@@ -1,223 +1,223 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2019 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
  * This source code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
  * version 2.1 or later (LGPLv2.1+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
  */
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <crm/crm.h>
 #include <crm/common/output.h>
 
 /* Disabled for the moment, but we can enable it (or remove it entirely)
  * when we make a decision on whether this is preferred output.
  */
 #define FANCY_TEXT_OUTPUT 0
 
 typedef struct text_list_data_s {
     unsigned int len;
     char *singular_noun;
     char *plural_noun;
 } text_list_data_t;
 
 typedef struct text_private_s {
     GQueue *parent_q;
 } text_private_t;
 
 static void
 text_free_priv(pcmk__output_t *out) {
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
 
     if (priv == NULL) {
         return;
     }
 
     g_queue_free(priv->parent_q);
     free(priv);
 }
 
 static bool
 text_init(pcmk__output_t *out) {
     text_private_t *priv = NULL;
 
     /* If text_init was previously called on this output struct, just return. */
     if (out->priv != NULL) {
         return true;
     } else {
         out->priv = calloc(1, sizeof(text_private_t));
         if (out->priv == NULL) {
             return false;
         }
 
         priv = out->priv;
     }
 
     priv->parent_q = g_queue_new();
     return true;
 }
 
 static void
 text_finish(pcmk__output_t *out, crm_exit_t exit_status) {
     /* This function intentionally left blank */
 }
 
 static void
 text_reset(pcmk__output_t *out) {
     CRM_ASSERT(out->priv != NULL);
 
     text_free_priv(out);
     text_init(out);
 }
 
 static void
 text_subprocess_output(pcmk__output_t *out, int exit_status,
                        const char *proc_stdout, const char *proc_stderr) {
     if (proc_stdout != NULL) {
         fprintf(out->dest, "%s\n", proc_stdout);
     }
 
     if (proc_stderr != NULL) {
         fprintf(out->dest, "%s\n", proc_stderr);
     }
 }
 
 G_GNUC_PRINTF(2, 3)
 static void
 text_info(pcmk__output_t *out, const char *format, ...) {
     va_list ap;
     int len = 0;
 
     va_start(ap, format);
 
     /* Informational output does not get indented, to separate it from other
      * potentially indented list output.
      */
     len = vfprintf(out->dest, format, ap);
     CRM_ASSERT(len > 0);
     va_end(ap);
 
     /* Add a newline. */
     fprintf(out->dest, "\n");
 }
 
 static void
 text_output_xml(pcmk__output_t *out, const char *name, const char *buf) {
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
 
     CRM_ASSERT(priv != NULL);
     pcmk__indented_printf(out, "%s", buf);
 }
 
 static void
 text_begin_list(pcmk__output_t *out, const char *name, const char *singular_noun,
                 const char *plural_noun) {
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
     text_list_data_t *new_list = NULL;
 
     CRM_ASSERT(priv != NULL);
 
 #if FANCY_TEXT_OUTPUT > 0
     pcmk__indented_printf(out, "%s:\n", name);
 #endif
 
     new_list = calloc(1, sizeof(text_list_data_t));
     new_list->len = 0;
-    new_list->singular_noun = strdup(singular_noun);
-    new_list->plural_noun = strdup(plural_noun);
+    new_list->singular_noun = singular_noun == NULL ? NULL : strdup(singular_noun);
+    new_list->plural_noun = plural_noun == NULL ? NULL : strdup(plural_noun);
 
     g_queue_push_tail(priv->parent_q, new_list);
 }
 
 static void
 text_list_item(pcmk__output_t *out, const char *id, const char *content) {
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
 
     CRM_ASSERT(priv != NULL);
 
 #if FANCY_TEXT_OUTPUT > 0
     if (id != NULL) {
         pcmk__indented_printf(out, "* %s: %s\n", id, content);
     } else {
         pcmk__indented_printf(out, "* %s\n", content);
     }
 #else
     fprintf(out->dest, "%s\n", content);
 #endif
 
     ((text_list_data_t *) g_queue_peek_tail(priv->parent_q))->len++;
 }
 
 static void
 text_end_list(pcmk__output_t *out) {
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
     text_list_data_t *node = NULL;
 
     CRM_ASSERT(priv != NULL);
     node = g_queue_pop_tail(priv->parent_q);
 
     if (node->singular_noun != NULL && node->plural_noun != NULL) {
         if (node->len == 1) {
             pcmk__indented_printf(out, "%d %s found\n", node->len, node->singular_noun);
         } else {
             pcmk__indented_printf(out, "%d %s found\n", node->len, node->plural_noun);
         }
     }
 
     free(node);
 }
 
 pcmk__output_t *
 pcmk__mk_text_output(char **argv) {
     pcmk__output_t *retval = calloc(1, sizeof(pcmk__output_t));
 
     if (retval == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
     retval->request = g_strjoinv(" ", argv);
     retval->supports_quiet = true;
 
     retval->init = text_init;
     retval->free_priv = text_free_priv;
     retval->finish = text_finish;
     retval->reset = text_reset;
 
     retval->register_message = pcmk__register_message;
     retval->message = pcmk__call_message;
 
     retval->subprocess_output = text_subprocess_output;
     retval->info = text_info;
     retval->output_xml = text_output_xml;
 
     retval->begin_list = text_begin_list;
     retval->list_item = text_list_item;
     retval->end_list = text_end_list;
 
     return retval;
 }
 
 G_GNUC_PRINTF(2, 3)
 void
 pcmk__indented_printf(pcmk__output_t *out, const char *format, ...) {
     va_list ap;
     int len = 0;
 #if FANCY_TEXT_OUTPUT > 0
     int level = 0;
     text_private_t *priv = out->priv;
 
     CRM_ASSERT(priv != NULL);
 
     level = g_queue_get_length(priv->parent_q);
 
     for (int i = 0; i < level; i++) {
         putc('\t', out->dest);
     }
 #endif
 
     va_start(ap, format);
     len = vfprintf(out->dest, format, ap);
     CRM_ASSERT(len > 0);
     va_end(ap);
 }