diff --git a/documentation/pvDataCpp.html b/documentation/pvDataCpp.html
index a411c2e..4cb9be7 100644
--- a/documentation/pvDataCpp.html
+++ b/documentation/pvDataCpp.html
@@ -3521,6 +3521,7 @@ once. This can be implemented as follows:</p>
 public:
     String getMessage() const;
     MessageType getMessageType() const;
+    void setMessageNull();
 };
 
 class MessageQueue : private NoDefaultMethods {
@@ -3548,6 +3549,8 @@ higher priority threads.</p>
     <dd>The message.</dd>
   <dt style="font-family: courier;">getMessageType</dt>
     <dd>The message type.</dd>
+  <dt style="font-family: courier;">setMessageNull</dt>
+     <dd>Set the message to be a null string.</dd>
 </dl>
 
 <p>A messageQueue is an interface with public methods:</p>
diff --git a/pvDataApp/misc/CDRMonitor.h b/pvDataApp/misc/CDRMonitor.h
index fbe2bf9..30d5ead 100644
--- a/pvDataApp/misc/CDRMonitor.h
+++ b/pvDataApp/misc/CDRMonitor.h
@@ -7,11 +7,10 @@
 #ifndef CDRMONITOR_H
 #define CDRMONITOR_H
 #include <ostream>
-#include <stddef.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <stddef.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <string>
+#include <cstdio>
 
 #include <epicsThread.h>
 #include "noDefaultMethods.h"
diff --git a/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.cpp b/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.cpp
index e2dc4bf..6aee813 100644
--- a/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.cpp
+++ b/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ typedef Queue<MessageNode> MessageNodeQueue;
 
 
 MessageNode::MessageNode()
-: message(String("")),messageType(infoMessage){}
+: message(String()),messageType(infoMessage){}
 
 MessageNode::~MessageNode() {
 }
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ String MessageNode::getMessage() const { return message;};
 
 MessageType MessageNode::getMessageType() const { return messageType;}
 
+void MessageNode::setMessageNull() {message = String();}
 
 class MessageQueuePvt {
 public:
diff --git a/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.h b/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.h
index fe0214d..6437f0e 100644
--- a/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.h
+++ b/pvDataApp/misc/messageQueue.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class MessageNode {
 public:
     String getMessage() const;
     MessageType getMessageType() const;
+    void setMessageNull();
 private:
     MessageNode();
     ~MessageNode();
diff --git a/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp b/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
index f9abcfd..7030c0e 100644
--- a/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
+++ b/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <string>
+#include <cstring>
 #include <cstdio>
 
 #include <epicsAssert.h>