diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c b/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
index 5ea225256..5b4fdc87d 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_status_command(int argc, char **argv) {
 		config->current_bar->status_command = new_command;
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Feeding bar with status command: %s",
 				config->current_bar->status_command);
+	} else {
+		free(new_command);
 	}
 
 	if (config->active && !config->validating) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/opacity.c b/sway/commands/opacity.c
index 9cdaad7f4..4e4fc9944 100644
--- a/sway/commands/opacity.c
+++ b/sway/commands/opacity.c
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_opacity(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct sway_container *con = config->handler_context.container;
 
+	if (con == NULL) {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "opacity", "No current container");
+	}
+
 	float opacity = 0.0f;
 
 	if (!parse_opacity(argv[0], &opacity)) {
diff --git a/sway/commands/swaybg_command.c b/sway/commands/swaybg_command.c
index 36f7fdcd4..b184b1930 100644
--- a/sway/commands/swaybg_command.c
+++ b/sway/commands/swaybg_command.c
@@ -9,12 +9,17 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_swaybg_command(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	if (config->swaybg_command) {
-		free(config->swaybg_command);
+	free(config->swaybg_command);
+	config->swaybg_command = NULL;
+
+	char *new_command = join_args(argv, argc);
+	if (strcmp(new_command, "-") != 0) {
+		config->swaybg_command = new_command;
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Using custom swaybg command: %s",
+				config->swaybg_command);
+	} else {
+		free(new_command);
 	}
-	config->swaybg_command = join_args(argv, argc);
-	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Using custom swaybg command: %s",
-			config->swaybg_command);
 
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/sway/commands/swaynag_command.c b/sway/commands/swaynag_command.c
index c57a80a64..6c86f1a76 100644
--- a/sway/commands/swaynag_command.c
+++ b/sway/commands/swaynag_command.c
@@ -9,12 +9,17 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_swaynag_command(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	if (config->swaynag_command) {
-		free(config->swaynag_command);
+	free(config->swaynag_command);
+	config->swaynag_command = NULL;
+
+	char *new_command = join_args(argv, argc);
+	if (strcmp(new_command, "-") != 0) {
+		config->swaybg_command = new_command;
+		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Using custom swaynag command: %s",
+				config->swaynag_command);
+	} else {
+		free(new_command);
 	}
-	config->swaynag_command = join_args(argv, argc);
-	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Using custom swaynag command: %s",
-			config->swaynag_command);
 
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/sway/commands/urgent.c b/sway/commands/urgent.c
index 53c37d4d5..4f283c550 100644
--- a/sway/commands/urgent.c
+++ b/sway/commands/urgent.c
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_urgent(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 	struct sway_container *container = config->handler_context.container;
+	if (!container) {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "urgent", "No current container");
+	}
 	if (!container->view) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "urgent",
 				"Only views can be urgent");
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 070b15c8e..a50e9144f 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ void free_config(struct sway_config *config) {
 	free(config->floating_scroll_left_cmd);
 	free(config->floating_scroll_right_cmd);
 	free(config->font);
+	free(config->swaybg_command);
+	free(config->swaynag_command);
 	free((char *)config->current_config_path);
 	free((char *)config->current_config);
 	free(config);
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ static void set_color(float dest[static 4], uint32_t color) {
 }
 
 static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
-	config->swaynag_command = strdup("swaynag");
+	if (!(config->swaynag_command = strdup("swaynag"))) goto cleanup;
 	config->swaynag_config_errors = (struct swaynag_instance){
 		.args = "--type error "
 			"--message 'There are errors in your config file' "
@@ -241,6 +243,8 @@ static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
 
 	if (!(config->active_bar_modifiers = create_list())) goto cleanup;
 
+	if (!(config->swaybg_command = strdup("swaybg"))) goto cleanup;
+
 	if (!(config->config_chain = create_list())) goto cleanup;
 	config->current_config_path = NULL;
 	config->current_config = NULL;
diff --git a/sway/config/output.c b/sway/config/output.c
index 6f337b66b..2b0413535 100644
--- a/sway/config/output.c
+++ b/sway/config/output.c
@@ -229,17 +229,16 @@ void apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (oc && oc->background) {
-		if (output->bg_pid != 0) {
-			terminate_swaybg(output->bg_pid);
-		}
-
+	if (output->bg_pid != 0) {
+		terminate_swaybg(output->bg_pid);
+	}
+	if (oc && oc->background && config->swaybg_command) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Setting background for output %d to %s",
 				output_i, oc->background);
 
 		size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, "%s %d \"%s\" %s %s",
-				config->swaybg_command ? config->swaybg_command : "swaybg",
-				output_i, oc->background, oc->background_option,
+				config->swaybg_command, output_i, oc->background,
+				oc->background_option,
 				oc->background_fallback ? oc->background_fallback : "");
 		char *command = malloc(len + 1);
 		if (!command) {
@@ -247,8 +246,8 @@ void apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 			return;
 		}
 		snprintf(command, len + 1, "%s %d \"%s\" %s %s",
-				config->swaybg_command ? config->swaybg_command : "swaybg",
-				output_i, oc->background, oc->background_option,
+				config->swaybg_command, output_i, oc->background,
+				oc->background_option,
 				oc->background_fallback ? oc->background_fallback : "");
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "-> %s", command);
 
@@ -260,6 +259,7 @@ void apply_output_config(struct output_config *oc, struct sway_output *output) {
 			free(command);
 		}
 	}
+
 	if (oc) {
 		switch (oc->dpms_state) {
 		case DPMS_ON:
@@ -353,4 +353,3 @@ void create_default_output_configs(void) {
 		list_add(config->output_configs, oc);
 	}
 }
-
diff --git a/sway/sway.5.scd b/sway/sway.5.scd
index 387edf546..28ab15dfd 100644
--- a/sway/sway.5.scd
+++ b/sway/sway.5.scd
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ The following commands may only be used in the configuration file.
 	Executes custom background _command_. Default is _swaybg_. Refer to
 	*output* below for more information.
 
+	It can be disabled by setting the command to a single dash:
+	_swaybg\_command -_
+
 *swaynag\_command* <command>
 	Executes custom command for _swaynag_. Default is _swaynag_. Additional
 	arguments may be appended to the end. This should only be used to either
@@ -78,6 +81,9 @@ The following commands may only be used in the configuration file.
 	arguments. This should be placed at the top of the config for the best
 	results.
 
+	It can be disabled by setting the command to a single dash:
+	_swaynag\_command -_
+
 The following commands cannot be used directly in the configuration file.
 They are expected to be used with *bindsym* or at runtime through *swaymsg*(1).
 
diff --git a/sway/swaynag.c b/sway/swaynag.c
index d905db2b8..38e74b881 100644
--- a/sway/swaynag.c
+++ b/sway/swaynag.c
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 
 bool swaynag_spawn(const char *swaynag_command,
 		struct swaynag_instance *swaynag) {
+	if (!swaynag_command) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	if (swaynag->detailed) {
 		if (pipe(swaynag->fd) != 0) {
 			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to create pipe for swaynag");
@@ -58,6 +62,10 @@ void swaynag_kill(struct swaynag_instance *swaynag) {
 
 void swaynag_log(const char *swaynag_command, struct swaynag_instance *swaynag,
 		const char *fmt, ...) {
+	if (!swaynag_command) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (!swaynag->detailed) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Attempting to write to non-detailed swaynag inst");
 		return;