diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs b/src/BizHawk.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs
index 2d81f34716..4daeca1845 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Common/Extensions/StringExtensions.cs
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Common.StringExtensions
 		/// <remarks>allocates a new char array only when necessary</remarks>
 		public static string ToUpperASCIIFast(this string str)
 		{
-			const ushort ASCII_UPCASE_MASK = 0b101111;
+			const ushort ASCII_UPCASE_MASK = 0b101_1111;
 			for (var i = 0; i < str.Length; i++)
 			{
 				if (str[i] is < 'a' or > 'z') continue;
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Database/Database.cs b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Database/Database.cs
index 4675338e9b..a0bef91363 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Database/Database.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Database/Database.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Common
 		private static string FormatHash(string hash)
 		{
 			var i = hash.IndexOf(':');
-			return (i < 0 ? hash.Substring(startIndex: i + 1) : hash).ToUpperASCIIFast();
+			return (i < 0 ? hash : hash.Substring(startIndex: i + 1)).ToUpperASCIIFast();
 		}
 
 		private static void LoadDatabase_Escape(string line, bool inUser, bool silent)