diff --git a/pkg/core/cli.go b/pkg/core/cli.go
index a13b263..12e4297 100644
--- a/pkg/core/cli.go
+++ b/pkg/core/cli.go
@@ -121,8 +121,9 @@ func (cl *Cli) PrintHelp() {
 		if cmd.Hidden {
 			continue
 		}
-		desc := cl.core.I18n().Translate(cmd.I18nKey()).Value.(string)
-		if desc == cmd.I18nKey() {
+		tr := cl.core.I18n().Translate(cmd.I18nKey())
+		desc, _ := tr.Value.(string)
+		if desc == "" || desc == cmd.I18nKey() {
 			cl.Print("  %s", path)
 		} else {
 			cl.Print("  %-30s %s", path, desc)
diff --git a/pkg/core/command.go b/pkg/core/command.go
index 4b81ba8..8619128 100644
--- a/pkg/core/command.go
+++ b/pkg/core/command.go
@@ -130,10 +130,6 @@ type commandRegistry struct {
 //	c.Command("deploy", Command{Action: handler})
 //	r := c.Command("deploy")
 func (c *Core) Command(path string, command ...Command) Result {
-	if c.commands == nil {
-		c.commands = &commandRegistry{commands: make(map[string]*Command)}
-	}
-
 	if len(command) == 0 {
 		c.commands.mu.RLock()
 		cmd, ok := c.commands.commands[path]
diff --git a/pkg/core/contract.go b/pkg/core/contract.go
index e95a86c..a033b58 100644
--- a/pkg/core/contract.go
+++ b/pkg/core/contract.go
@@ -73,16 +73,18 @@ type ActionTaskCompleted struct {
 //	})
 func New(opts ...Options) *Core {
 	c := &Core{
-		app:    &App{},
-		data:   &Data{},
-		drive:  &Drive{},
-		fs:     &Fs{root: "/"},
-		config: &Config{ConfigOptions: &ConfigOptions{}},
-		error:  &ErrorPanic{},
-		log:    &ErrorLog{log: defaultLog},
-		lock:   &Lock{},
-		ipc:    &Ipc{},
-		i18n:   &I18n{},
+		app:      &App{},
+		data:     &Data{},
+		drive:    &Drive{},
+		fs:       &Fs{root: "/"},
+		config:   &Config{ConfigOptions: &ConfigOptions{}},
+		error:    &ErrorPanic{},
+		log:      &ErrorLog{log: defaultLog},
+		lock:     &Lock{},
+		ipc:      &Ipc{},
+		i18n:     &I18n{},
+		services: &serviceRegistry{services: make(map[string]*Service)},
+		commands: &commandRegistry{commands: make(map[string]*Command)},
 	}
 
 	if len(opts) > 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/core/embed.go b/pkg/core/embed.go
index 5512cd4..809226e 100644
--- a/pkg/core/embed.go
+++ b/pkg/core/embed.go
@@ -70,11 +70,12 @@ func AddAsset(group, name, data string) {
 func GetAsset(group, name string) Result {
 	assetGroupsMu.RLock()
 	g, ok := assetGroups[group]
-	assetGroupsMu.RUnlock()
 	if !ok {
+		assetGroupsMu.RUnlock()
 		return Result{}
 	}
 	data, ok := g.assets[name]
+	assetGroupsMu.RUnlock()
 	if !ok {
 		return Result{}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/core/i18n.go b/pkg/core/i18n.go
index 0f10c09..c2a88ed 100644
--- a/pkg/core/i18n.go
+++ b/pkg/core/i18n.go
@@ -94,19 +94,30 @@ func (i *I18n) Translate(messageID string, args ...any) Result {
 	return Result{messageID, true}
 }
 
-// SetLanguage sets the active language. No-op if no translator is registered.
+// SetLanguage sets the active language and forwards to the translator if registered.
 func (i *I18n) SetLanguage(lang string) Result {
-
-	if lang != "" {
-		i.locale = lang
+	if lang == "" {
+		return Result{OK: true}
+	}
+	i.mu.Lock()
+	i.locale = lang
+	t := i.translator
+	i.mu.Unlock()
+	if t != nil {
+		if err := t.SetLanguage(lang); err != nil {
+			return Result{err, false}
+		}
 	}
 	return Result{OK: true}
 }
 
 // Language returns the current language code, or "en" if not set.
 func (i *I18n) Language() string {
-	if i.locale != "" {
-		return i.locale
+	i.mu.RLock()
+	locale := i.locale
+	i.mu.RUnlock()
+	if locale != "" {
+		return locale
 	}
 	return "en"
 }
diff --git a/pkg/core/lock.go b/pkg/core/lock.go
index 851c8aa..a8eaac5 100644
--- a/pkg/core/lock.go
+++ b/pkg/core/lock.go
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ func (c *Core) LockEnable(name ...string) {
 	}
 	c.Lock(n).Mutex.Lock()
 	defer c.Lock(n).Mutex.Unlock()
-	if c.services == nil {
-		c.services = &serviceRegistry{services: make(map[string]*Service)}
-	}
 	c.services.lockEnabled = true
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/core/options.go b/pkg/core/options.go
index 83d3529..4d4c5f8 100644
--- a/pkg/core/options.go
+++ b/pkg/core/options.go
@@ -50,21 +50,21 @@ type Result struct {
 //	r.Result(value)         // OK = true, Value = value
 //	r.Result()              // after set — returns the value
 func (r Result) Result(args ...any) Result {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return r
+	}
 
 	if len(args) == 1 {
 		return Result{args[0], true}
 	}
 
-	if len(args) >= 2 {
-		if err, ok := args[len(args)-1].(error); ok {
-			if err != nil {
-				return Result{err, false}
-			}
-			return Result{args[0], true}
+	if err, ok := args[len(args)-1].(error); ok {
+		if err != nil {
+			return Result{err, false}
 		}
+		return Result{args[0], true}
 	}
 	return Result{args[0], true}
-
 }
 
 // Option is a single key-value configuration pair.
diff --git a/pkg/core/service.go b/pkg/core/service.go
index 8007b83..4bc9fbd 100644
--- a/pkg/core/service.go
+++ b/pkg/core/service.go
@@ -38,10 +38,6 @@ type serviceRegistry struct {
 //	c.Service("auth", core.Service{OnStart: startFn})
 //	r := c.Service("auth")
 func (c *Core) Service(name string, service ...Service) Result {
-	if c.services == nil {
-		c.services = &serviceRegistry{services: make(map[string]*Service)}
-	}
-
 	if len(service) == 0 {
 		c.Lock("srv").Mutex.RLock()
 		v, ok := c.services.services[name]
diff --git a/pkg/core/task.go b/pkg/core/task.go
index cfc0a78..553e7ae 100644
--- a/pkg/core/task.go
+++ b/pkg/core/task.go
@@ -35,7 +35,12 @@ func (c *Core) PerformAsync(t Task) Result {
 			if e, ok := r.Value.(error); ok {
 				err = e
 			} else {
-				err = E("core.PerformAsync", Join(" ", "no handler found for task type", reflect.TypeOf(t).String()), nil)
+				taskType := reflect.TypeOf(t)
+			typeName := "<nil>"
+			if taskType != nil {
+				typeName = taskType.String()
+			}
+			err = E("core.PerformAsync", Join(" ", "no handler found for task type", typeName), nil)
 			}
 		}
 		c.ACTION(ActionTaskCompleted{TaskIdentifier: taskID, Task: t, Result: r.Value, Error: err})
diff --git a/tests/utils_test.go b/tests/utils_test.go
index 76a4322..dcb8d4c 100644
--- a/tests/utils_test.go
+++ b/tests/utils_test.go
@@ -202,8 +202,16 @@ func TestResult_Result_WithError_Bad(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, err, r.Value)
 }
 
-func TestResult_Result_ZeroArgs_Ugly(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Panics(t, func() {
-		Result{}.Result()
-	})
+func TestResult_Result_ZeroArgs_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	r := Result{"hello", true}
+	got := r.Result()
+	assert.Equal(t, "hello", got.Value)
+	assert.True(t, got.OK)
+}
+
+func TestResult_Result_ZeroArgs_Empty_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	r := Result{}
+	got := r.Result()
+	assert.Nil(t, got.Value)
+	assert.False(t, got.OK)
 }