diff --git a/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/util/SSLKsFactory.java b/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/util/SSLKsFactory.java
index 45dd27187..b3537f345 100644
--- a/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/util/SSLKsFactory.java
+++ b/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/util/SSLKsFactory.java
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ public class SSLKsFactory {
 
                 try {
                     KeyStore ks = KeyStore.getInstance("JKS", "SUN");
-                    ks.load(null, keyPassword.toCharArray());
+                    char[] pass = keyPassword==null? null : keyPassword.toCharArray();
+                    ks.load(null, pass);
 
                     X509Certificate cert = (X509Certificate) CertificateFactory.
                             getInstance("X509").
@@ -176,4 +177,4 @@ public class SSLKsFactory {
             return null;
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java b/engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
index 26e027f62..ab154144e 100644
--- a/engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
+++ b/engine-cli/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/cli/NBCLI.java
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ public class NBCLI {
             DockerMetricsManager dmh = new DockerMetricsManager();
             dmh.startMetrics();
             String warn = "Docker Containers are started, for grafana and prometheus, hit" +
-                "these urls in your browser: http://<host>:3000 and http://<host>:9090";
+                " these urls in your browser: http://<host>:3000 and http://<host>:9090";
             logger.warn(warn);
             if (reportGraphiteTo != null) {
                 logger.warn(String.format("Docker metrics are enabled (--docker-metrics)" +