diff --git a/dnscrypt-proxy/coldstart.go b/dnscrypt-proxy/coldstart.go
index 0f0b73ac..9bcb7bc7 100644
--- a/dnscrypt-proxy/coldstart.go
+++ b/dnscrypt-proxy/coldstart.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func ColdStart(proxy *Proxy) (*CaptivePortalHandler, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		if strings.Index(ipsStr, "*") != -1 {
+		if strings.Contains(ipsStr, "*") {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
 				"A captive portal rule must use an exact host name at line %d",
 				1+lineNo,
diff --git a/dnscrypt-proxy/plugin_forward.go b/dnscrypt-proxy/plugin_forward.go
index 12e52928..e3352055 100644
--- a/dnscrypt-proxy/plugin_forward.go
+++ b/dnscrypt-proxy/plugin_forward.go
@@ -60,10 +60,8 @@ func (plugin *PluginForward) Init(proxy *Proxy) error {
 			continue
 		}
 		domain, serversStr, ok := StringTwoFields(line)
-		if strings.HasPrefix(domain, "*.") {
-			domain = domain[2:]
-		}
-		if strings.Index(domain, "*") != -1 {
+		domain = strings.TrimPrefix(domain, "*.")
+		if strings.Contains(domain, "*") {
 			ok = false
 		}
 		if !ok {
@@ -205,7 +203,7 @@ func (plugin *PluginForward) Eval(pluginsState *PluginsState, msg *dns.Msg) erro
 					dlog.Infof("No response from the DHCP server while resolving [%s]", qName)
 					continue
 				}
-				if dhcpDNS != nil && len(dhcpDNS) > 0 {
+				if len(dhcpDNS) > 0 {
 					server = net.JoinHostPort(dhcpDNS[rand.Intn(len(dhcpDNS))].String(), "53")
 					break
 				}
diff --git a/dnscrypt-proxy/xtransport.go b/dnscrypt-proxy/xtransport.go
index 6acd3b9b..9a06d734 100644
--- a/dnscrypt-proxy/xtransport.go
+++ b/dnscrypt-proxy/xtransport.go
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ func (xTransport *XTransport) rebuildTransport() {
 		tlsClientConfig.Certificates = []tls.Certificate{cert}
 	}
 
-	overrideCipherSuite := xTransport.tlsCipherSuite != nil && len(xTransport.tlsCipherSuite) > 0
+	overrideCipherSuite := len(xTransport.tlsCipherSuite) > 0
 	if xTransport.tlsDisableSessionTickets || overrideCipherSuite {
 		tlsClientConfig.SessionTicketsDisabled = xTransport.tlsDisableSessionTickets
 		if !xTransport.tlsDisableSessionTickets {