diff --git a/src/exparse.c b/src/exparse.c
index b016c89df..e323bb74c 100644
--- a/src/exparse.c
+++ b/src/exparse.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include "util/functions.h"
 #include "util/log.h"
+#include "util/message.h"
 #include "util/strings.h"
 
 #include <expat.h>
@@ -47,7 +48,6 @@ enum {
     EXP_SHIPS,
     EXP_RACES,
     EXP_MESSAGES,
-    EXP_STRINGS,
     EXP_SPELLS,
     EXP_SPELLBOOKS,
 };
@@ -285,6 +285,25 @@ static void handle_weapon(parseinfo *pi, const XML_Char *el, const XML_Char **at
     wtype->flags = flags;
 }
 
+static void XMLCALL start_messages(parseinfo *pi, const XML_Char *el, const XML_Char **attr) {
+    if (xml_strcmp(el, "message") == 0) {
+        const XML_Char *name = NULL, *section = NULL;
+        int i;
+        for (i = 0; attr[i]; i += 2) {
+            const XML_Char *key = attr[i], *val = attr[i + 1];
+            if (xml_strcmp(key, "name") == 0) {
+                name = val;
+            }
+            else if (xml_strcmp(key, "section") == 0) {
+                section = val;
+            }
+        }
+        if (name) {
+            pi->object = mt_new(name, NULL);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #define MAX_COMPONENTS 8
 static spell_component components[MAX_COMPONENTS];
 static int ncomponents;
@@ -1192,9 +1211,6 @@ static void XMLCALL handle_start(void *data, const XML_Char *el, const XML_Char
         else if (xml_strcmp(el, "messages") == 0) {
             pi->type = EXP_MESSAGES;
         }
-        else if (xml_strcmp(el, "strings") == 0) {
-            pi->type = EXP_STRINGS;
-        }
         else if (xml_strcmp(el, "spells") == 0) {
             pi->type = EXP_SPELLS;
         }
@@ -1232,6 +1248,9 @@ static void XMLCALL handle_start(void *data, const XML_Char *el, const XML_Char
         case EXP_SPELLS:
             start_spells(pi, el, attr);
             break;
+        case EXP_MESSAGES:
+            start_messages(pi, el, attr);
+            break;
         case EXP_UNKNOWN:
             handle_bad_input(pi, el, NULL);
             break;
diff --git a/src/util/message.c b/src/util/message.c
index a919f5f7d..71795cfc7 100644
--- a/src/util/message.c
+++ b/src/util/message.c
@@ -79,16 +79,9 @@ message_type *mt_new(const char *name, const char *args[])
     mtype->name = str_strdup(name);
     mtype->nparameters = nparameters;
     if (nparameters > 0) {
+        int i;
         mtype->pnames = (char **)malloc(sizeof(char *) * nparameters);
         mtype->types = (arg_type **)malloc(sizeof(arg_type *) * nparameters);
-    }
-    else {
-        mtype->pnames = NULL;
-        mtype->types = NULL;
-    }
-    if (args != NULL) {
-        int i;
-
         for (i = 0; args[i]; ++i) {
             const char *x = args[i];
             const char *spos = strchr(x, ':');
@@ -110,6 +103,10 @@ message_type *mt_new(const char *name, const char *args[])
             }
         }
     }
+    else {
+        mtype->pnames = NULL;
+        mtype->types = NULL;
+    }
     return mtype;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/nrmessage.c b/src/util/nrmessage.c
index 2df1f4864..9461e11c5 100644
--- a/src/util/nrmessage.c
+++ b/src/util/nrmessage.c
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 typedef struct nrmessage_type {
-  const struct message_type *mtype;
-  char *vars;
-  struct nrmessage_type *next;
-  const char *section;
+    const struct message_type *mtype;
+    char *vars;
+    struct nrmessage_type *next;
+    const char *section;
 } nrmessage_type;
 
 #define NRT_MAXHASH 1021