diff --git a/compiler/evaltempl.nim b/compiler/evaltempl.nim
index 58594a8b7a..c33e5be861 100644
--- a/compiler/evaltempl.nim
+++ b/compiler/evaltempl.nim
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ proc evalTemplateArgs(n: PNode, s: PSym): PNode =
   # if the template has zero arguments, it can be called without ``()``
   # `n` is then a nkSym or something similar
   var totalParams = case n.kind
-    of nkCall, nkInfix, nkPrefix, nkPostfix, nkCommand, nkCallStrLit: <n.len
+    of nkCall, nkInfix, nkPrefix, nkPostfix, nkCommand, nkCallStrLit: n.len-1
     else: 0
 
   var
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@ proc evalTemplateArgs(n: PNode, s: PSym): PNode =
   # not supplied by the user
   for i in givenRegularParams+1 .. expectedRegularParams:
     let default = s.typ.n.sons[i].sym.ast
-    internalAssert default != nil
-    if default.kind == nkEmpty:
+    if default.isNil or default.kind == nkEmpty:
       localError(n.info, errWrongNumberOfArguments)
       addSon(result, ast.emptyNode)
     else:
diff --git a/compiler/sempass2.nim b/compiler/sempass2.nim
index 272412b046..ef014963cb 100644
--- a/compiler/sempass2.nim
+++ b/compiler/sempass2.nim
@@ -855,6 +855,8 @@ proc initEffects(effects: PNode; s: PSym; t: var TEffects) =
   newSeq(effects.sons, effectListLen)
   effects.sons[exceptionEffects] = newNodeI(nkArgList, s.info)
   effects.sons[tagEffects] = newNodeI(nkArgList, s.info)
+  effects.sons[usesEffects] = ast.emptyNode
+  effects.sons[writeEffects] = ast.emptyNode
 
   t.exc = effects.sons[exceptionEffects]
   t.tags = effects.sons[tagEffects]