diff --git a/src/analyze/analyze-compare-versions.c b/src/analyze/analyze-compare-versions.c
index 9545326fa9..9d9f7ed3cb 100644
--- a/src/analyze/analyze-compare-versions.c
+++ b/src/analyze/analyze-compare-versions.c
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ int verb_compare_versions(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         if (argc == 3) {
                 r = strverscmp_improved(ASSERT_PTR(argv[1]), ASSERT_PTR(argv[2]));
                 printf("%s %s %s\n",
-                       argv[1],
-                       r < 0 ? "<" : r > 0 ? ">" : "==",
-                       argv[2]);
+                       isempty(argv[1]) ? "''" : argv[1],
+                       comparison_operator(r),
+                       isempty(argv[2]) ? "''" : argv[2]);
 
                 /* This matches the exit convention used by rpmdev-vercmp.
                  * We don't use named values because 11 and 12 don't have names. */
diff --git a/src/boot/bootctl.c b/src/boot/bootctl.c
index 652667e330..cebb479e75 100644
--- a/src/boot/bootctl.c
+++ b/src/boot/bootctl.c
@@ -718,10 +718,13 @@ static int version_check(int fd_from, const char *from, int fd_to, const char *t
                                         to);
 
         r = compare_version(a, b);
+        log_debug("Comparing versions: \"%s\" %s \"%s", a, comparison_operator(r), b);
         if (r < 0)
-                return log_warning_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(ESTALE), "Skipping \"%s\", since newer boot loader version in place already.", to);
-        else if (r == 0)
-                return log_info_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(ESTALE), "Skipping \"%s\", since same boot loader version in place already.", to);
+                return log_warning_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(ESTALE),
+                                         "Skipping \"%s\", since newer boot loader version in place already.", to);
+        if (r == 0)
+                return log_info_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(ESTALE),
+                                      "Skipping \"%s\", since same boot loader version in place already.", to);
 
         return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/fundamental/string-util-fundamental.h b/src/fundamental/string-util-fundamental.h
index 101c2ae1b6..01df4ce17a 100644
--- a/src/fundamental/string-util-fundamental.h
+++ b/src/fundamental/string-util-fundamental.h
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ static inline const sd_char *yes_no(sd_bool b) {
         return b ? STR_C("yes") : STR_C("no");
 }
 
+static inline const sd_char* comparison_operator(int result) {
+        return result < 0 ? STR_C("<") : result > 0 ? STR_C(">") : STR_C("==");
+}
+
 sd_int strverscmp_improved(const sd_char *a, const sd_char *b);
 
 /* Like startswith(), but operates on arbitrary memory blocks */
diff --git a/src/test/test-string-util.c b/src/test/test-string-util.c
index 1054f9ea31..902d431d9a 100644
--- a/src/test/test-string-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-string-util.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ static void test_strverscmp_improved_one(const char* a, const char *b, int expec
 
         log_info("'%s' %s '%s'%s",
                  strnull(a),
-                 r > 0 ? ">" : r < 0 ? "<" : "==",
+                 comparison_operator(r),
                  strnull(b),
                  r == expected ? "" : " !!!!!!!!!!!!!");
         assert_se(r == expected);
diff --git a/test/test-compare-versions.sh b/test/test-compare-versions.sh
index 6cfcc158e6..c40208be60 100755
--- a/test/test-compare-versions.sh
+++ b/test/test-compare-versions.sh
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ $ANALYZE compare-versions 1 '!=' 2
 ( ! $ANALYZE compare-versions 1 gt 2 )
 ( ! $ANALYZE compare-versions 1 '>' 2 )
 
-$ANALYZE compare-versions 1 2 | grep ' < '
-$ANALYZE compare-versions 2 2 | grep ' == '
-$ANALYZE compare-versions 2 1 | grep ' > '
+test "$($ANALYZE compare-versions 1 2)" = '1 < 2'
+test "$($ANALYZE compare-versions 2 2)" = '2 == 2'
+test "$($ANALYZE compare-versions 2 1)" = '2 > 1'
+test "$($ANALYZE compare-versions '' '')" = "'' == ''"
 
 set +e