diff --git a/epan/dissectors/packet-ansi_a.c b/epan/dissectors/packet-ansi_a.c
index f46cbb0e5f..5255721c20 100644
--- a/epan/dissectors/packet-ansi_a.c
+++ b/epan/dissectors/packet-ansi_a.c
@@ -7510,7 +7510,8 @@ elem_v(tvbuff_t *tvb, packet_info *pinfo, proto_tree *tree, elem_idx_t idx, guin
             "Missing Mandatory element (0x%02x) %s%s, rest of dissection is suspect", \
                 ansi_a_elem_1_strings[elem_idx].value, \
                 ansi_a_elem_1_strings[elem_idx].strptr, \
-                (elem_name_addition == NULL) || (elem_name_addition[0] == '\0') ? "" : elem_name_addition \
+                /* coverity[array_null] */ \
+                (elem_name_addition == NULL) ? "" : elem_name_addition \
             ); \
     } \
     if (curr_len <= 0) return; \
@@ -7540,7 +7541,8 @@ elem_v(tvbuff_t *tvb, packet_info *pinfo, proto_tree *tree, elem_idx_t idx, guin
             "Missing Mandatory element (0x%02x) %s%s, rest of dissection is suspect", \
                 ansi_a_elem_1_strings[elem_idx].value, \
                 ansi_a_elem_1_strings[elem_idx].strptr, \
-                (elem_name_addition == NULL) || (elem_name_addition[0] == '\0') ? "" : elem_name_addition \
+                /* coverity[array_null] */ \
+                (elem_name_addition == NULL) ? "" : elem_name_addition \
             ); \
     } \
     if (curr_len <= 0) return; \