diff --git a/lisp/help.el b/lisp/help.el
index 8f771670408..b794751ecab 100644
--- a/lisp/help.el
+++ b/lisp/help.el
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ Returns a list of the form (BRIEF-DESC DEFN EVENT MOUSE-MSG)."
 	 (mouse-msg (if (or (memq 'click modifiers) (memq 'down modifiers)
 			    (memq 'drag modifiers))
                         " at that spot" ""))
-	 (defn (key-binding key t)))
+	 (defn (save-excursion (mouse-set-point event) (key-binding key t))))
     ;; Handle the case where we faked an entry in "Select and Paste" menu.
     (when (and (eq defn nil)
 	       (stringp (aref key (1- (length key))))
diff --git a/lisp/mouse.el b/lisp/mouse.el
index d80b241af52..5d4e05fa25e 100644
--- a/lisp/mouse.el
+++ b/lisp/mouse.el
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ the function `context-menu-filter-function'."
 
     ;; Remove duplicate separators
     (let ((l menu))
-      (while l
+      (while (consp l)
         (when (and (equal (cdr-safe (car l)) menu-bar-separator)
                    (equal (cdr-safe (cadr l)) menu-bar-separator))
           (setcdr l (cddr l)))