diff --git a/src/common/connection.py b/src/common/connection.py
index 4218f7c9a..ec2da038e 100644
--- a/src/common/connection.py
+++ b/src/common/connection.py
@@ -324,10 +324,7 @@ class Connection(ConnectionHandlers):
 						errnum = -1 # we don't have an errnum
 					ssl_msg = ''
 					if errnum > 0:
-						if errnum in ssl_error:
-							ssl_msg = ssl_error[errnum]
-						else:
-							ssl_msg = _('Unknown SSL error: %d') % errnum
+						ssl_msg = ssl_error.get(errnum, _('Unknown SSL error: %d') % errnum)
 					ssl_cert = ''
 					if hasattr(self.connection.Connection, 'ssl_cert_pem'):
 						ssl_cert = self.connection.Connection.ssl_cert_pem
diff --git a/src/common/helpers.py b/src/common/helpers.py
index d445d7aa6..d9648281e 100644
--- a/src/common/helpers.py
+++ b/src/common/helpers.py
@@ -1192,26 +1192,14 @@ def sort_identities_func(i1, i2):
 		return -1
 	if cat1 > cat2:
 		return 1
-	if 'type' in i1:
-		type1 = i1['type']
-	else:
-		type1 = ''
-	if 'type' in i2:
-		type2 = i2['type']
-	else:
-		type2 = ''
+	type1 = i1.get('type', '')
+	type2 = i2.get('type', '')
 	if type1 < type2:
 		return -1
 	if type1 > type2:
 		return 1
-	if 'xml:lang' in i1:
-		lang1 = i1['xml:lang']
-	else:
-		lang1 = ''
-	if 'xml:lang' in i2:
-		lang2 = i2['xml:lang']
-	else:
-		lang2 = ''
+	lang1 = i1.get('xml:lang', '')
+	lang2 = i2.get('xml:lang', '')
 	if lang1 < lang2:
 		return -1
 	if lang1 > lang2:
@@ -1234,18 +1222,9 @@ def compute_caps_hash(identities, features, dataforms=[], hash_method='sha-1'):
 	identities.sort(cmp=sort_identities_func)
 	for i in identities:
 		c = i['category']
-		if 'type' in i:
-			type_ = i['type']
-		else:
-			type_ = ''
-		if 'xml:lang' in i:
-			lang = i['xml:lang']
-		else:
-			lang = ''
-		if 'name' in i:
-			name = i['name']
-		else:
-			name = ''
+		type_ = i.get('type', '')
+		lang = i.get('xml:lang', '')
+		name = i.get('name', '')
 		S += '%s/%s/%s/%s<' % (c, type_, lang, name)
 	features.sort()
 	for f in features:
diff --git a/src/common/zeroconf/roster_zeroconf.py b/src/common/zeroconf/roster_zeroconf.py
index 6d17967dd..d70b8a1a2 100644
--- a/src/common/zeroconf/roster_zeroconf.py
+++ b/src/common/zeroconf/roster_zeroconf.py
@@ -68,15 +68,10 @@ class Roster:
 		self._data[jid]['host'] = host
 		self._data[jid]['port'] = port
 		txt_dict = self.zeroconf.txt_array_to_dict(txt)
-		if 'status' in txt_dict:
-			status = txt_dict['status']
-		else:
-			status = ''
+		status = txt_dict.get('status', '')
 		if not status:
 			status = 'avail'
-		nm = ''
-		if '1st' in txt_dict:
-			nm = txt_dict['1st']
+		nm = txt_dict.get('1st', '')
 		if 'last' in txt_dict:
 			if nm != '':
 				nm += ' '
@@ -162,4 +157,4 @@ class Roster:
 	def Unauthorize(self,jid):
 		pass
 
-# vim: se ts=3:
\ No newline at end of file
+# vim: se ts=3:
diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index 45cf7581e..cd02c2b6f 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -2499,15 +2499,9 @@ class GroupchatConfigWindow:
 			self.start_users_dict[affiliation][jid] = users_dict[jid]
 			tv = self.affiliation_treeview[affiliation]
 			model = tv.get_model()
-			reason = ''
-			if 'reason' in users_dict[jid]:
-				reason = users_dict[jid]['reason']
-			nick = ''
-			if 'nick' in users_dict[jid]:
-				nick = users_dict[jid]['nick']
-			role = ''
-			if 'role' in users_dict[jid]:
-				role = users_dict[jid]['role']
+			reason = users_dict[jid].get('reason', '')
+			nick = users_dict[jid].get('nick', '')
+			role = users_dict[jid].get('role', '')
 			model.append((jid, reason, nick, role))
 
 	def on_data_form_window_destroy(self, widget):
diff --git a/src/gajim.py b/src/gajim.py
index 4a83f9fcf..9d4426d5d 100755
--- a/src/gajim.py
+++ b/src/gajim.py
@@ -1117,10 +1117,7 @@ class Interface:
 		# ('VCARD', account, data)
 		'''vcard holds the vcard data'''
 		jid = vcard['jid']
-		resource = ''
-		if 'resource' in vcard:
-			resource = vcard['resource']
-
+		resource = vcard.get('resource', '')
 		fjid = jid + '/' + str(resource)
 
 		# vcard window
@@ -1806,9 +1803,7 @@ class Interface:
 					gajim.gc_connected[account][room_jid]:
 				continue
 			nick = gc_control.nick
-			password = ''
-			if room_jid in gajim.gc_passwords:
-				password = gajim.gc_passwords[room_jid]
+			password = gajim.gc_passwords.get(room_jid, '')
 			gajim.connections[account].join_gc(nick, room_jid, password)
 
 	def handle_event_metacontacts(self, account, tags_list):
@@ -2203,14 +2198,12 @@ class Interface:
 		# Do we have a queue?
 		jid = gajim.get_jid_without_resource(jid)
 		no_queue = len(gajim.events.get_events(account, jid)) == 0
-		event_type = None
 		# type_ can be gc-invitation file-send-error file-error file-request-error
 		# file-request file-completed file-stopped
 		# event_type can be in advancedNotificationWindow.events_list
 		event_types = {'file-request': 'ft_request',
 			'file-completed': 'ft_finished'}
-		if type_ in event_types:
-			event_type = event_types[type_]
+		event_type = event_types.get(type_)
 		show_in_roster = notify.get_show_in_roster(event_type, account, jid)
 		show_in_systray = notify.get_show_in_systray(event_type, account, jid)
 		event = gajim.events.create_event(type_, event_args,
@@ -3038,7 +3031,6 @@ class Interface:
 			return True
 		window.connect('delete_event',on_delete)
 		view.updateNamespace({'gajim': gajim})
-		gajim.ipython_window = window
 
 	def __init__(self):
 		gajim.interface = self
@@ -3291,6 +3283,7 @@ class Interface:
 			gobject.timeout_add(200, self.process_connections)
 		gobject.timeout_add_seconds(gajim.config.get(
 			'check_idle_every_foo_seconds'), self.read_sleepy)
+		self.create_ipython_window()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 	def sigint_cb(num, stack):
diff --git a/src/groupchat_control.py b/src/groupchat_control.py
index d5472c350..054dc9c83 100644
--- a/src/groupchat_control.py
+++ b/src/groupchat_control.py
@@ -1891,9 +1891,7 @@ class GroupchatControl(ChatControlBase):
 
 	def _on_bookmark_room_menuitem_activate(self, widget):
 		'''bookmark the room, without autojoin and not minimized'''
-		password = ''
-		if self.room_jid in gajim.gc_passwords:
-			password = gajim.gc_passwords[self.room_jid]
+		password = gajim.gc_passwords.get(self.room_jid, '')
 		gajim.interface.add_gc_bookmark(self.account, self.name, self.room_jid, \
 			'0', '0', password, self.nick)
 
diff --git a/src/music_track_listener.py b/src/music_track_listener.py
index 94506b493..d8e27a1c6 100644
--- a/src/music_track_listener.py
+++ b/src/music_track_listener.py
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ class MusicTrackListener(gobject.GObject):
 		bus.add_signal_receiver(self._mpris_playing_changed_cb, 'StatusChange',
 			'org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer')
 		bus.add_signal_receiver(self._player_name_owner_changed,
-			'NameOwnerChanged', 'org.freedesktop.DBus', arg0='org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer')
+			'NameOwnerChanged', 'org.freedesktop.DBus',
+			arg0='org.freedesktop.MediaPlayer')
 
 		## Muine
 		bus.add_signal_receiver(self._muine_music_track_change_cb, 'SongChanged',
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ class MusicTrackListener(gobject.GObject):
 		bus.add_signal_receiver(self._banshee_state_changed_cb,
 			'StateChanged', 'org.bansheeproject.Banshee.PlayerEngine')
 		bus.add_signal_receiver(self._player_name_owner_changed,
-			'NameOwnerChanged', 'org.freedesktop.DBus', arg0='org.bansheeproject.Banshee')
+			'NameOwnerChanged', 'org.freedesktop.DBus',
+			arg0='org.bansheeproject.Banshee')
 
 	def _player_name_owner_changed(self, name, old, new):
 		if not new:
@@ -102,27 +104,10 @@ class MusicTrackListener(gobject.GObject):
 
 	def _mpris_properties_extract(self, song):
 		info = MusicTrackInfo()
-
-		if 'title' in song:
-			info.title = song['title']
-		else:
-			info.title = ''
-
-		if 'album' in song:
-			info.album = song['album']
-		else:
-			info.album = ''
-
-		if 'artist' in song:
-			info.artist = song['artist']
-		else:
-			info.artist = ''
-
-		if 'length' in song:
-			info.duration = int(song['length'])
-		else:
-			info.duration = 0
-
+		info.title = song.get('title', '')
+		info.album = song.get('album', '')
+		info.artist = song.get('artist', '')
+		info.duration = int(song.get('length', 0))
 		return info
 
 	def _mpris_playing_changed_cb(self, playing):
@@ -169,9 +154,11 @@ class MusicTrackListener(gobject.GObject):
 	def _banshee_state_changed_cb(self, state):
 		if state == 'playing':
 			bus = dbus.SessionBus()
-			banshee = bus.get_object("org.bansheeproject.Banshee", "/org/bansheeproject/Banshee/PlayerEngine")
+			banshee = bus.get_object('org.bansheeproject.Banshee',
+				'/org/bansheeproject/Banshee/PlayerEngine')
 			currentTrack = banshee.GetCurrentTrack()
-			self._last_playing_music = self._banshee_properties_extract(currentTrack) 
+			self._last_playing_music = self._banshee_properties_extract(
+				currentTrack) 
 			self.emit('music-track-changed', self._last_playing_music)
 		elif state == 'paused':
 			self.emit('music-track-changed', None)
@@ -239,7 +226,7 @@ class MusicTrackListener(gobject.GObject):
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 	def music_track_change_cb(listener, music_track_info):
 		if music_track_info is None:
-			print "Stop!"
+			print 'Stop!'
 		else:
 			print music_track_info.title
 	listener = MusicTrackListener.get()
diff --git a/src/osx/growl/Growl.py b/src/osx/growl/Growl.py
index a5fa30381..09270f7e6 100644
--- a/src/osx/growl/Growl.py
+++ b/src/osx/growl/Growl.py
@@ -70,10 +70,7 @@ class netgrowl:
         self.socket.sendto(data, (self.hostname, GROWL_UDP_PORT))
         
     def PostNotification(self, userInfo):
-        if GROWL_NOTIFICATION_PRIORITY in userInfo:
-            priority = userInfo[GROWL_NOTIFICATION_PRIORITY]
-        else:
-            priority = 0
+        priority = userInfo.get(GROWL_NOTIFICATION_PRIORITY, 0)
         if GROWL_NOTIFICATION_STICKY in userInfo:
             sticky = userInfo[GROWL_NOTIFICATION_STICKY]
         else:
diff --git a/src/roster_window.py b/src/roster_window.py
index d5537cac9..78a0271cf 100644
--- a/src/roster_window.py
+++ b/src/roster_window.py
@@ -1568,15 +1568,9 @@ class RosterWindow:
 			cshow = {'chat':0, 'online': 1, 'away': 2, 'xa': 3, 'dnd': 4,
 				'invisible': 5, 'offline': 6, 'not in roster': 7, 'error': 8}
 			s = self.get_show(lcontact1)
-			if s in cshow:
-				show1 = cshow[s]
-			else:
-				show1 = 9
+			show1 = cshow.get(s, 9)
 			s = self.get_show(lcontact2)
-			if s in cshow:
-				show2 = cshow[s]
-			else:
-				show2 = 9
+			show2 = cshow.get(s, 9)
 			removing1 = False
 			removing2 = False
 			if show1 == 6 and jid1 in gajim.to_be_removed[account1]:
diff --git a/src/tooltips.py b/src/tooltips.py
index 5ddc7fccf..3ac95a7cf 100644
--- a/src/tooltips.py
+++ b/src/tooltips.py
@@ -582,9 +582,7 @@ class RosterTooltip(NotificationAreaTooltip):
 		to the given property list.
 		'''
 		if 'mood' in contact.mood:
-			mood = contact.mood['mood'].strip()
-			if mood in MOODS:
-				mood = MOODS[mood]
+			mood = MOODS.get(mood, contact.mood['mood'].strip())
 			mood = gobject.markup_escape_text(mood)
 			mood_string = _('Mood:') + ' <b>%s</b>' % mood
 			if 'text' in contact.mood \
@@ -679,9 +677,7 @@ class FileTransfersTooltip(BaseTooltip):
 		properties.append((_('Type: '), type))
 		properties.append((actor, gobject.markup_escape_text(name)))
 		
-		transfered_len = 0
-		if 'received-len' in file_props:
-			transfered_len = file_props['received-len']
+		transfered_len = file_props.get('received-len', 0)
 		properties.append((_('Transferred: '), helpers.convert_bytes(transfered_len)))
 		status = '' 
 		if 'started' not in file_props or not file_props['started']: