command_print(cmd_ctx, "Timed out waiting for reset");
                                                goto done;
                                        }
-                                       /* this will send alive messages on e.g. GDB remote protocol.
-                                        * GDB warns me that I'm sending a zero length formatting message,
-                                        * which is strange, but in fact what is intended here. */
+                                       /* this will send alive messages on e.g. GDB remote protocol. */
                                        usleep(500*1000); 
-                                       USER_N(""); 
+                                       USER_N("%s", ""); /* avoid warning about zero length formatting message*/ 
                                        goto again;
                                }
                        }
 
 
        jtag_add_end_state(TAP_RTI);
        xscale_jtag_set_instr(xscale->jtag_info.chain_pos, xscale->jtag_info.dbgtx);
-       jtag_add_runtest(1, -1);
+       jtag_add_runtest(1, -1); /* ensures that we're in the TAP_RTI state as the above could be a no-op */
 
        /* repeat until all words have been collected */
        int attempts=0;