diff --git a/src/ispry.nim b/src/ispry.nim
index 23ad6c3..dc38a9d 100644
--- a/src/ispry.nim
+++ b/src/ispry.nim
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ proc main() =
       #discard spry.setBinding(newEvalWord("@"), result)
       var output = $result
       # Print any result
-      if output.isNil:
-        output = if suspended: "nil" else: ""
+      if output == "" and suspended:
+        output = "nil"
       stdout.write(output & "\n")
 #      except:
  #       echo "Oops, sorry about that: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg() & "\n"
diff --git a/src/spry.nim b/src/spry.nim
index 670a280..d81bb4c 100644
--- a/src/spry.nim
+++ b/src/spry.nim
@@ -87,13 +87,13 @@ for kind, key, val in getopt():
   of cmdEnd: assert(false) # cannot happen
 
 if eval:
-  if filename == nil:
+  if filename == "":
     writeHelp()
   else:
     code = filename
 else:
   code =
-    if filename == nil:
+    if filename == "":
       # no filename has been given, so we use stdin
       readAll stdin
     else: