diff --git a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
index b56aa201..4609374d 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
@@ -416,11 +416,14 @@ def main():
                 logging.debug("...fetch auto name from " + app_dir +
                         ((" (flavour:" + flavour) if flavour else ""))
                 new_name = common.fetch_real_name(app_dir, flavour)
-                logging.debug("...got autoname '" + new_name + "'")
-                if new_name != app['Auto Name']:
-                    app['Auto Name'] = new_name
-                    if not commitmsg:
-                        commitmsg = "Set autoname of {0}".format(common.getappname(app))
+                if new_name:
+                    logging.debug("...got autoname '" + new_name + "'")
+                    if new_name != app['Auto Name']:
+                        app['Auto Name'] = new_name
+                        if not commitmsg:
+                            commitmsg = "Set autoname of {0}".format(common.getappname(app))
+                else:
+                    logging.debug("...couldn't get autoname")
 
                 if app['Current Version'].startswith('@string/'):
                     cv = common.version_name(app['Current Version'], app_dir, flavour)
diff --git a/fdroidserver/common.py b/fdroidserver/common.py
index 388e3970..98d2752f 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/common.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/common.py
@@ -611,6 +611,7 @@ def retrieve_string(app_dir, string, xmlfiles=None):
                 matches = string_search(line)
                 if matches:
                     return retrieve_string(app_dir, matches.group(1), xmlfiles)
+        return None
 
     return string.replace("\\'","'")
 
@@ -627,7 +628,7 @@ def manifest_paths(app_dir, flavour):
 
     return [path for path in possible_manifests if os.path.isfile(path)]
 
-# Retrieve the package name
+# Retrieve the package name. Returns the name, or None if not found.
 def fetch_real_name(app_dir, flavour):
     app_search = re.compile(r'.*<application.*').search
     name_search = re.compile(r'.*android:label="([^"]+)".*').search
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ def fetch_real_name(app_dir, flavour):
                     stringname = matches.group(1)
                     logging.debug("fetch_real_name: using string " + stringname)
                     return retrieve_string(app_dir, stringname).strip()
-    return ''
+    return None
 
 # Retrieve the version name
 def version_name(original, app_dir, flavour):