diff --git a/fail2ban/client/filterreader.py b/fail2ban/client/filterreader.py
index 669a5896..1a0ba31c 100644
--- a/fail2ban/client/filterreader.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/filterreader.py
@@ -50,17 +50,17 @@ class FilterReader(DefinitionInitConfigReader):
 	def getCombined(self):
 		combinedopts = dict(list(self._opts.items()) + list(self._initOpts.items()))
 		if not len(combinedopts):
-			return {};
+			return {}
 		opts = CommandAction.substituteRecursiveTags(combinedopts)
 		if not opts:
 			raise ValueError('recursive tag definitions unable to be resolved')
-		return opts;
+		return opts
 	
 	def convert(self):
 		stream = list()
 		opts = self.getCombined()
 		if not len(opts):
-			return stream;
+			return stream
 		for opt, value in opts.iteritems():
 			if opt == "failregex":
 				for regex in value.split('\n'):