diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/convert/QueryByExamplePredicateBuilder.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/convert/QueryByExamplePredicateBuilder.java
index 1b4e33250..be9b899d8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/convert/QueryByExamplePredicateBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/convert/QueryByExamplePredicateBuilder.java
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class QueryByExamplePredicateBuilder {
 				PathNode node = currentNode.add(attribute.getName(), attributeValue);
 				if (node.spansCycle()) {
 					throw new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException(
-							String.format("Path '%s' from root %s must not span a cyclic property reference!\r\n%s", currentPath,
+							String.format("Path '%s' from root %s must not span a cyclic property reference!%n%s", currentPath,
 									ClassUtils.getShortName(probeType), node));
 				}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/mapping/JpaPersistentPropertyImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/mapping/JpaPersistentPropertyImpl.java
index a0ac87b81..4e9c06795 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/mapping/JpaPersistentPropertyImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/mapping/JpaPersistentPropertyImpl.java
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ class JpaPersistentPropertyImpl extends AnnotationBasedPersistentProperty<JpaPer
 				continue;
 			}
 
+			// may cause NullPointerException if the returned value is null
 			return (boolean) AnnotationUtils.getValue(annotation, "updatable");
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
index 23c82cf6e..dbac54211 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
@@ -266,8 +266,6 @@ class StringQuery implements DeclaredQuery {
 				String expression = spelExtractor.getParameter(parameterName == null ? parameterIndexString : parameterName);
 				String replacement = null;
 
-				Assert.isTrue(parameterIndexString != null || parameterName != null, () -> String.format("We need either a name or an index! Offending query string: %s", query));
-
 				expressionParameterIndex++;
 				if ("".equals(parameterIndexString)) {
 
@@ -293,7 +291,7 @@ class StringQuery implements DeclaredQuery {
 						} else {
 							checkAndRegister(new LikeParameterBinding(parameterName, likeType, expression), bindings);
 
-							replacement = expression != null ? ":" + parameterName : matcher.group(5);
+							replacement = ":" + parameterName;
 						}
 
 						break;