diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index 2f47169..6e8bb03 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -1012,6 +1012,10 @@
     self.CleanPublishedCache(all_refs)
     revid = self.GetRevisionId(all_refs)
 
+    def _doff():
+      self._FastForward(revid)
+      self._CopyFiles()
+
     self._InitWorkTree()
     head = self.work_git.GetHead()
     if head.startswith(R_HEADS):
@@ -1090,9 +1094,6 @@
         # All published commits are merged, and thus we are a
         # strict subset.  We can fast-forward safely.
         #
-        def _doff():
-          self._FastForward(revid)
-          self._CopyFiles()
         syncbuf.later1(self, _doff)
         return
 
@@ -1155,9 +1156,6 @@
         syncbuf.fail(self, e)
         return
     else:
-      def _doff():
-        self._FastForward(revid)
-        self._CopyFiles()
       syncbuf.later1(self, _doff)
 
   def AddCopyFile(self, src, dest, absdest):
@@ -1836,7 +1834,8 @@
       if p.Wait() == 0:
         out = p.stdout
         if out:
-          return out[:-1].split("\0")
+          return out[:-1].split('\0')  # pylint: disable=W1401
+                                       # Backslash is not anomalous
       return []
 
     def DiffZ(self, name, *args):
@@ -1852,7 +1851,7 @@
         out = p.process.stdout.read()
         r = {}
         if out:
-          out = iter(out[:-1].split('\0'))
+          out = iter(out[:-1].split('\0'))  # pylint: disable=W1401
           while out:
             try:
               info = out.next()