diff --git a/src/moin/macros/Date.py b/src/moin/macros/Date.py
index fe5093a30..a6d422d88 100644
--- a/src/moin/macros/Date.py
+++ b/src/moin/macros/Date.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def parse_time(self, args):
         Parse a time specification argument for usage by Date and DateTime macro.
         Not all ISO 8601 format variations are accepted as input.
 
-        :param args: float/int UNIX timestamp or null or ISO 8601 formatted date time:
+        :param args: float/int UNIX timestamp or None or ISO 8601 formatted date time:
                      YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS (plus optional Z or z for UTC, or +/-HHMM) or
                      YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS (same as above but replacing T separator with " ")
         :returns: UNIX timestamp (UTC) or raises one of AttributeError, OSError, AssertionError, ValueError, OverflowError
@@ -70,5 +70,5 @@ def macro(self, content, arguments, page_url, alternative):
                 tm = self.parse_time(tm)
             return show_time.format_date(tm)
         except (AttributeError, OSError, AssertionError, ValueError, OverflowError):
-            err_msg = _("Invalid input parameter: null, float, int, or ISO 8601 formats are accepted.")
+            err_msg = _("Invalid input parameter: None, float, int, or ISO 8601 formats are accepted.")
             return fail_message(err_msg, alternative)
diff --git a/src/moin/macros/DateTime.py b/src/moin/macros/DateTime.py
index 0bdde12b2..eef916839 100644
--- a/src/moin/macros/DateTime.py
+++ b/src/moin/macros/DateTime.py
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ def macro(self, content, arguments, page_url, alternative):
                 tm = self.parse_time(tm)
             return show_time.format_date_time(tm)
         except (AttributeError, OSError, AssertionError, ValueError, OverflowError):
-            err_msg = _("Invalid input parameter: null, float, int, or ISO 8601 formats are accepted.")
+            err_msg = _("Invalid input parameter: None, float, int, or ISO 8601 formats are accepted.")
             return fail_message(err_msg, alternative)
diff --git a/src/moin/macros/FontAwesome.py b/src/moin/macros/FontAwesome.py
index 71a752505..d1b2455c8 100644
--- a/src/moin/macros/FontAwesome.py
+++ b/src/moin/macros/FontAwesome.py
@@ -26,12 +26,11 @@
 
 class Macro(MacroInlineBase):
     def macro(self, content, arguments, page_url, alternative):
-        args = arguments[0] if arguments else ""
-        if not args:
+        if not arguments:
             err_msg = _("Missing font name, syntax is <<FontAwesome(name,color,size)>>")
             return fail_message(err_msg, alternative)
 
-        args = args.split(",")
+        args = arguments[0].split(",")
         fonts = args[0].split()
         color = args[1].strip() if len(args) > 1 else ""
         size = args[2].strip() if len(args) > 2 else ""
diff --git a/src/moin/macros/_base.py b/src/moin/macros/_base.py
index 248a132c8..2eb3db5ad 100644
--- a/src/moin/macros/_base.py
+++ b/src/moin/macros/_base.py
@@ -95,10 +95,7 @@ def fail_message(msg, alternative, severity="error"):
     :returns: formatted text of macro, error message
     """
     if severity not in "attention caution danger error hint important note tip".split():
-        severity = "error"
-        msg = (
-            _("Invalid severity, must be one of: ") + "attention, caution, danger, error, hint, important, note, or tip"
-        )
+        raise ValueError
 
     altern = html.p(children=[html.strong(children=[alternative])])
     message = html.p(children=[msg])