diff --git a/guile/examples/contacts-export b/guile/examples/contacts-export
index bc7a3e6c..731f25f5 100755
--- a/guile/examples/contacts-export
+++ b/guile/examples/contacts-export
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ exec guile -e main -s $0 $@
 ;; Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
 
 
-(use-modules (ice-9 getopt-long))
+(use-modules (ice-9 getopt-long) (ice-9 format))
 (use-modules (srfi srfi-1))
 (use-modules (mu) (mu message) (mu contact))
 
@@ -32,16 +32,17 @@ exec guile -e main -s $0 $@
   (< (timestamp c1) (timestamp c2)))
 
 (define (export-contact contact form)
-  (cond
-    ((string= form "org-contacts")
-      (format #t "* ~a\n:PROPERTIES:\n:EMAIL:~a\n:END:\n\n"
-	(or (name contact) (email contact)) (email contact)))
-    ((string= form "plain")
-      (format #t "~a~a\n"
-	(or (name contact) "")
-	(if (name contact)
-	  (string-append " <" (email contact) ">")
-	  (email contact))))))
+  "Convert CONTACT to a string in format FORM."
+  (let ((email (email contact)) (name (name contact)))
+    (if email ;; filter out anything *without* an email address
+      (cond
+	((string= form "org-contacts")
+	  (format #t "* ~s\n:PROPERTIES:\n:EMAIL:~a\n:END:\n\n"
+	    (or name email) email))
+	((string= form "plain")
+	  (format #t "~a~a\n"
+	    (or name "")
+	    (if name (string-append " <" email ">") email)))))))
 
 (define (main args)
   (let* ((optionspec   '( (muhome   (value #t))
@@ -66,11 +67,12 @@ exec guile -e main -s $0 $@
 	(display msg)
 	(exit 0))
      (begin
-       (mu:initialize #t muhome)
+       (setlocale LC_ALL "")
+       (mu:initialize muhome)
        (let* ((sort-func
 		(cond
-		  ((string= sort-by "frequency")    sort-by-freq)
-		  ((string= sort-by "newness") sort-by-newness)
+		  ((string= sort-by "frequency") sort-by-freq)
+		  ((string= sort-by "newness")  sort-by-newness)
 		  (else (begin (display msg) (exit 1)))))
 	       (contacts '()))
 	 ;; make a list of all contacts
@@ -90,7 +92,6 @@ exec guile -e main -s $0 $@
 	     (export-contact c form))
 	   contacts))))))
 
-
 ;; Local Variables:
 ;; mode: scheme
 ;; End:
diff --git a/guile/examples/msg-stats b/guile/examples/msg-stats
index f3dbbc11..b29aad80 100755
--- a/guile/examples/msg-stats
+++ b/guile/examples/msg-stats
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ then be used in, e.g., R and gnuplot."
       (begin
 	(display msg)
 	(exit (if help 0 1))))
-    (mu:initialize #t muhome)
+    (mu:initialize muhome)
     (cond
       ((string= period "hour")  (mu:plot:per-hour expr))
       ((string= period "day")   (mu:plot:per-weekday expr))