diff --git a/src/check_decl.cpp b/src/check_decl.cpp
index 6343703fd..f3ad5a7a1 100644
--- a/src/check_decl.cpp
+++ b/src/check_decl.cpp
@@ -2531,7 +2531,17 @@ gb_internal bool check_proc_body(CheckerContext *ctx_, Token token, DeclInfo *de
 	}
 	check_close_scope(ctx);
 
-	check_proc_escapes(type, body);
+	// the entry point of an executable only returns as the program ends
+	bool is_entry_point = false;
+	if (build_context.build_mode == BuildMode_Executable &&
+	    !build_context.no_entry_point &&
+	    build_context.command_kind != Command_test) {
+		Entity *proc_entity = decl->entity.load();
+		is_entry_point = proc_entity != nullptr && proc_entity == ctx->info->entry_point;
+	}
+	if (!is_entry_point) {
+		check_proc_escapes(type, body);
+	}
 
 	check_scope_usage(ctx->checker, ctx->scope, check_vet_flags(body));
 
diff --git a/src/check_escape.cpp b/src/check_escape.cpp
index b85b67feb..47ceebecb 100644
--- a/src/check_escape.cpp
+++ b/src/check_escape.cpp
@@ -1142,7 +1142,19 @@ gb_internal void escape_report(EscapeAnalysis *ea, Ast *node, String expr_str, E
 		GB_PANIC("Unhandled EscapeReportKind");
 		break;
 	}
-	error_line("\tSuggestion: If this is intended, make it explicit with a conversion to 'rawptr' or 'uintptr', or a 'transmute'\n");
+
+	if (kind == EscapeReport_Store) {
+		char const *zero = "{}";
+		Type *t = node->tav.type;
+		if (t != nullptr && type_has_nil(t)) {
+			zero = "nil";
+		} else if (t != nullptr && is_type_string(t)) {
+			zero = "\"\"";
+		}
+		error_line("\tSuggestion: Clear it before the procedure returns, e.g. 'defer %.*s = %s'\n", LIT(expr_str), zero);
+	} else {
+		error_line("\tSuggestion: If this is intended, make it explicit with a conversion to 'rawptr' or 'uintptr', or a 'transmute'\n");
+	}
 }
 
 gb_internal void escape_report_value(EscapeAnalysis *ea, Ast *node, Ast *expr, String name, EscapeValue const &v) {