diff --git a/ann/src/main/java/com/twitter/ann/faiss/NativeUtils.java b/ann/src/main/java/com/twitter/ann/faiss/NativeUtils.java
index 424d28890..456d69bf3 100644
--- a/ann/src/main/java/com/twitter/ann/faiss/NativeUtils.java
+++ b/ann/src/main/java/com/twitter/ann/faiss/NativeUtils.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import java.util.Locale;
 
 public final class NativeUtils {
 
-  private static final int MIN_PREFIX_LENGTH = 3;
+  private static final short MIN_PREFIX_LENGTH = 3;
   public static final String NATIVE_FOLDER_PATH_PREFIX = "nativeutils";
 
   public static File temporaryDir;
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public final class NativeUtils {
   }
 
   private static File unpackLibraryFromJarInternal(String path) throws IOException {
-    if (null == path || !path.startsWith("/")) {
+    if (path == null || !path.startsWith("/")) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("The path has to be absolute (start with '/').");
     }