diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
index 48ab51440..aef21bfe6 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ class CookieComponent extends Component {
 		$first = substr($string, 0, 1);
 		if ($first === '{' || $first === '[') {
 			$ret = json_decode($string, true);
-			return ($ret != null) ? $ret : $string;
+			return ($ret) ? $ret : $string;
 		}
 		$array = array();
 		foreach (explode(',', $string) as $pair) {
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/RequestHandlerComponent.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/RequestHandlerComponent.php
index d3147af00..f95411816 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/RequestHandlerComponent.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/RequestHandlerComponent.php
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class RequestHandlerComponent extends Component {
  * @return string Prototype version of component making Ajax call
  */
 	public function getAjaxVersion() {
-		if (env('HTTP_X_PROTOTYPE_VERSION') != null) {
+		if (env('HTTP_X_PROTOTYPE_VERSION')) {
 			return env('HTTP_X_PROTOTYPE_VERSION');
 		}
 		return false;
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ class RequestHandlerComponent extends Component {
 			$cType = $type;
 		}
 
-		if ($cType != null) {
+		if ($cType) {
 			if (empty($this->request->params['requested'])) {
 				$this->response->type($cType);
 			}
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
index 4eb68f1b5..15bbc2e69 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
@@ -967,14 +967,15 @@ class Controller extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/controllers.html#Controller::referer
  */
 	public function referer($default = null, $local = false) {
-		if ($this->request) {
-			$referer = $this->request->referer($local);
-			if ($referer == '/' && $default != null) {
-				return Router::url($default, true);
-			}
-			return $referer;
+		if(!$this->request) {
+			return '/';
 		}
-		return '/';
+
+		$referer = $this->request->referer($local);
+		if ($referer == '/' && $default) {
+			return Router::url($default, true);
+		}
+		return $referer;
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -1062,7 +1063,7 @@ class Controller extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
 				$cond[$key] = $value;
 			}
 		}
-		if ($bool != null && strtoupper($bool) != 'AND') {
+		if ($bool && strtoupper($bool) != 'AND') {
 			$cond = array($bool => $cond);
 		}
 		return $cond;
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/CakeSession.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/CakeSession.php
index 6f8050f0f..4c0ff34a3 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/CakeSession.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/CakeSession.php
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class CakeSession {
 		self::$time = time();
 
 		$checkAgent = Configure::read('Session.checkAgent');
-		if (($checkAgent === true || $checkAgent === null) && env('HTTP_USER_AGENT') != null) {
+		if (($checkAgent === true || $checkAgent === null) && env('HTTP_USER_AGENT')) {
 			self::$_userAgent = md5(env('HTTP_USER_AGENT') . Configure::read('Security.salt'));
 		}
 		self::_setPath($base);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Mysql.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Mysql.php
index 541bd87aa..02e315e6b 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Mysql.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Mysql.php
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class Mysql extends DboSource {
  */
 	public function listSources($data = null) {
 		$cache = parent::listSources();
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 		$result = $this->_execute('SHOW TABLES FROM ' . $this->name($this->config['database']));
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class Mysql extends DboSource {
 	public function describe($model) {
 		$key = $this->fullTableName($model, false);
 		$cache = parent::describe($key);
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 		$table = $this->fullTableName($model);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
index 9b1fbcf3d..b284f79a6 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class Postgres extends DboSource {
 	public function listSources($data = null) {
 		$cache = parent::listSources();
 
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 
@@ -156,17 +156,17 @@ class Postgres extends DboSource {
 
 		if (!$result) {
 			return array();
-		} else {
-			$tables = array();
-
-			foreach ($result as $item) {
-				$tables[] = $item->name;
-			}
-
-			$result->closeCursor();
-			parent::listSources($tables);
-			return $tables;
 		}
+
+		$tables = array();
+
+		foreach ($result as $item) {
+			$tables[] = $item->name;
+		}
+
+		$result->closeCursor();
+		parent::listSources($tables);
+		return $tables;
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ class Postgres extends DboSource {
 		if ($col == 'uuid') {
 			return 36;
 		}
-		if ($limit != null) {
+		if ($limit) {
 			return intval($limit);
 		}
 		return null;
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlite.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlite.php
index 0ca4bc2c3..34e52d256 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlite.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlite.php
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class Sqlite extends DboSource {
  */
 	public function listSources($data = null) {
 		$cache = parent::listSources();
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 
@@ -144,14 +144,14 @@ class Sqlite extends DboSource {
 
 		if (!$result || empty($result)) {
 			return array();
-		} else {
-			$tables = array();
-			foreach ($result as $table) {
-				$tables[] = $table[0]['name'];
-			}
-			parent::listSources($tables);
-			return $tables;
 		}
+
+		$tables = array();
+		foreach ($result as $table) {
+			$tables[] = $table[0]['name'];
+		}
+		parent::listSources($tables);
+		return $tables;
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class Sqlite extends DboSource {
 	public function describe($model) {
 		$table = $this->fullTableName($model, false, false);
 		$cache = parent::describe($table);
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 		$fields = array();
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlserver.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlserver.php
index cb502832b..e2dc00485 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlserver.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Sqlserver.php
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class Sqlserver extends DboSource {
 	public function describe($model) {
 		$table = $this->fullTableName($model, false);
 		$cache = parent::describe($table);
-		if ($cache != null) {
+		if ($cache) {
 			return $cache;
 		}
 		$fields = array();
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ class Sqlserver extends DboSource {
  */
 	public function insertMulti($table, $fields, $values) {
 		$primaryKey = $this->_getPrimaryKey($table);
-		$hasPrimaryKey = $primaryKey != null && (
+		$hasPrimaryKey = $primaryKey && (
 			(is_array($fields) && in_array($primaryKey, $fields)
 			|| (is_string($fields) && strpos($fields, $this->startQuote . $primaryKey . $this->endQuote) !== false))
 		);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
index 14dbbfc7b..521080823 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 
 			if ($this->hasResult()) {
 				$first = $this->fetchRow();
-				if ($first != null) {
+				if ($first) {
 					$out[] = $first;
 				}
 				while ($item = $this->fetchResult()) {
@@ -1407,10 +1407,9 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 					}
 				}
 				if (!isset($data[$association])) {
-					if ($merge[0][$association] != null) {
+					$data[$association] = array();
+					if ($merge[0][$association]) {
 						$data[$association] = $merge[0][$association];
-					} else {
-						$data[$association] = array();
 					}
 				} else {
 					if (is_array($merge[0][$association])) {
@@ -2513,7 +2512,7 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 					$data = $this->_parseKey($model, trim($key), $value);
 				}
 
-				if ($data != null) {
+				if ($data) {
 					$out[] = $data;
 					$data = null;
 				}
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
index ef987e6ee..462170371 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Model.php
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ class Model extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
 			$this->schema();
 		}
 
-		if ($this->_schema != null) {
+		if ($this->_schema) {
 			return isset($this->_schema[$name]);
 		}
 		return false;
@@ -1499,7 +1499,7 @@ class Model extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
 	public function read($fields = null, $id = null) {
 		$this->validationErrors = array();
 
-		if ($id != null) {
+		if ($id) {
 			$this->id = $id;
 		}
 
@@ -1515,9 +1515,8 @@ class Model extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
 				'fields' => $fields
 			));
 			return $this->data;
-		} else {
-			return false;
 		}
+		return false;
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -3151,7 +3150,7 @@ class Model extends Object implements CakeEventListener {
 	public function setDataSource($dataSource = null) {
 		$oldConfig = $this->useDbConfig;
 
-		if ($dataSource != null) {
+		if ($dataSource) {
 			$this->useDbConfig = $dataSource;
 		}
 		$db = ConnectionManager::getDataSource($this->useDbConfig);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Permission.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Permission.php
index e293aa19b..7802703d1 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Permission.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Permission.php
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ class Permission extends AppModel {
 		}
 		list($save['aro_id'], $save['aco_id']) = array($perms['aro'], $perms['aco']);
 
-		if ($perms['link'] != null && !empty($perms['link'])) {
+		if ($perms['link'] && !empty($perms['link'])) {
 			$save['id'] = $perms['link'][0][$this->alias]['id'];
 		} else {
 			unset($save['id']);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeRequest.php b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeRequest.php
index 919e380a3..ab53b4617 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeRequest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeRequest.php
@@ -364,17 +364,17 @@ class CakeRequest implements ArrayAccess {
  * @return string The client IP.
  */
 	public function clientIp($safe = true) {
-		if (!$safe && env('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR') != null) {
+		if (!$safe && env('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR')) {
 			$ipaddr = preg_replace('/(?:,.*)/', '', env('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'));
 		} else {
-			if (env('HTTP_CLIENT_IP') != null) {
+			if (env('HTTP_CLIENT_IP')) {
 				$ipaddr = env('HTTP_CLIENT_IP');
 			} else {
 				$ipaddr = env('REMOTE_ADDR');
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (env('HTTP_CLIENTADDRESS') != null) {
+		if (env('HTTP_CLIENTADDRESS')) {
 			$tmpipaddr = env('HTTP_CLIENTADDRESS');
 
 			if (!empty($tmpipaddr)) {
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeSocket.php b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeSocket.php
index aa5ab6dc8..941c0b261 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeSocket.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeSocket.php
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class CakeSocket {
  * @throws SocketException
  */
 	public function connect() {
-		if ($this->connection != null) {
+		if ($this->connection) {
 			$this->disconnect();
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Routing/Router.php b/lib/Cake/Routing/Router.php
index 4c6f35528..e43ad97f6 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Routing/Router.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Routing/Router.php
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ class Router {
  * @return string base url with plugin name removed if present
  */
 	public static function stripPlugin($base, $plugin = null) {
-		if ($plugin != null) {
+		if ($plugin) {
 			$base = preg_replace('/(?:' . $plugin . ')/', '', $base);
 			$base = str_replace('//', '', $base);
 			$pos1 = strrpos($base, '/');
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
index 31327e7de..50d195794 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Model/ModelWriteTest.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class ModelWriteTest extends BaseModelTest {
 		$lastInsertId = $TestModel->JoinAsJoinB->getLastInsertID();
 		$data['id'] = $lastInsertId;
 		$this->assertEquals(array('JoinAsJoinB' => $data), $result);
-		$this->assertTrue($lastInsertId != null);
+		$this->assertTrue($lastInsertId);
 
 		$result = $TestModel->JoinAsJoinB->findById(1);
 		$expected = array(
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Network/Email/CakeEmailTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Network/Email/CakeEmailTest.php
index ae19b80f0..1e21c5381 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Network/Email/CakeEmailTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Network/Email/CakeEmailTest.php
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ class CakeEmailTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$this->CakeEmail->emailFormat('html');
 		$server = env('SERVER_NAME') ? env('SERVER_NAME') : 'localhost';
 
-		if (env('SERVER_PORT') != null && env('SERVER_PORT') != 80) {
+		if (env('SERVER_PORT') && env('SERVER_PORT') != 80) {
 			$server .= ':' . env('SERVER_PORT');
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Utility/CakeTime.php b/lib/Cake/Utility/CakeTime.php
index dd1570b6e..e378627fa 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Utility/CakeTime.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Utility/CakeTime.php
@@ -903,7 +903,7 @@ class CakeTime {
  */
 	public static function gmt($dateString = null) {
 		$time = time();
-		if ($dateString != null) {
+		if ($dateString) {
 			$time = self::fromString($dateString);
 		}
 		return gmmktime(
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Utility/Set.php b/lib/Cake/Utility/Set.php
index 6e1ffc6a0..5f1a9f445 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Utility/Set.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Utility/Set.php
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ class Set {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if ($groupPath != null) {
+		if ($groupPath) {
 			$group = Set::extract($data, $groupPath);
 			if (!empty($group)) {
 				$c = count($keys);
diff --git a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/HtmlHelper.php b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/HtmlHelper.php
index c4da2a8a9..008965d4d 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/HtmlHelper.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/HtmlHelper.php
@@ -951,13 +951,12 @@ class HtmlHelper extends AppHelper {
 		if (isset($options['escape'])) {
 			$text = h($text);
 		}
-		if ($class != null && !empty($class)) {
+		if ($class && !empty($class)) {
 			$options['class'] = $class;
 		}
+		$tag = 'para';
 		if ($text === null) {
 			$tag = 'parastart';
-		} else {
-			$tag = 'para';
 		}
 		return sprintf($this->_tags[$tag], $this->_parseAttributes($options, null, ' ', ''), $text);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/PaginatorHelper.php b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/PaginatorHelper.php
index 836877345..373c59679 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/PaginatorHelper.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/PaginatorHelper.php
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ class PaginatorHelper extends AppHelper {
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/core-libraries/helpers/paginator.html#PaginatorHelper::defaultModel
  */
 	public function defaultModel() {
-		if ($this->_defaultModel != null) {
+		if ($this->_defaultModel) {
 			return $this->_defaultModel;
 		}
 		if (empty($this->request->params['paging'])) {
diff --git a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/RssHelper.php b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/RssHelper.php
index 26160f055..0cbd456be 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/View/Helper/RssHelper.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/View/Helper/RssHelper.php
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class RssHelper extends AppHelper {
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/core-libraries/helpers/rss.html#RssHelper::items
  */
 	public function items($items, $callback = null) {
-		if ($callback != null) {
+		if ($callback) {
 			$items = array_map($callback, $items);
 		}