diff --git a/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/LogsHelper.java b/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/LogsHelper.java
index d6eb2edd1c..f499b2ea43 100644
--- a/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/LogsHelper.java
+++ b/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/LogsHelper.java
@@ -44,13 +44,16 @@ public class LogsHelper extends HelperBase {
     }
     ******/
 
-    private String formatMessages(List msgs) {
+    /** formats in reverse order */
+    private String formatMessages(List<String> msgs) {
+        if (msgs.isEmpty())
+            return "<p><i>" + _("No log messages") + "</i></p>";
         boolean colorize = Boolean.valueOf(_context.getProperty("routerconsole.logs.color")).booleanValue();
         StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder(16*1024); 
         buf.append("<ul>");
         buf.append("<code>\n");
         for (int i = msgs.size(); i > 0; i--) { 
-            String msg = (String)msgs.get(i - 1);
+            String msg = msgs.get(i - 1);
             buf.append("<li>");
             if (colorize) {
                 String color;
diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogConsoleBuffer.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogConsoleBuffer.java
index a9aab2625b..2fe2708490 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogConsoleBuffer.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogConsoleBuffer.java
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import net.i2p.I2PAppContext;
  */
 public class LogConsoleBuffer {
     private I2PAppContext _context;
-    private final List _buffer;
-    private final List _critBuffer;
+    private final List<String> _buffer;
+    private final List<String> _critBuffer;
 
     public LogConsoleBuffer(I2PAppContext context) {
         _context = context;
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class LogConsoleBuffer {
      * in the logs)
      *
      */
-    public List getMostRecentMessages() {
+    public List<String> getMostRecentMessages() {
         synchronized (_buffer) {
             return new ArrayList(_buffer);
         }
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ public class LogConsoleBuffer {
      * in the logs)
      *
      */
-    public List getMostRecentCriticalMessages() {
+    public List<String> getMostRecentCriticalMessages() {
         synchronized (_critBuffer) {
             return new ArrayList(_critBuffer);
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}