diff --git a/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFile.java b/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFile.java
index 6e04e2f0..05a08ca0 100644
--- a/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFile.java
+++ b/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFile.java
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ public List<ChangesFileSection> getSections() {
      * @return dependency change section
      */
     public Optional<ChangesFileSection> getDependencyChangeSection() {
-        return Optional.ofNullable(dependencyChangeSection);
+        return Optional.ofNullable(this.dependencyChangeSection);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFileIO.java b/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFileIO.java
index 6045a3a6..a34765f0 100644
--- a/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFileIO.java
+++ b/project-keeper/src/main/java/com/exasol/projectkeeper/validators/changesfile/ChangesFileIO.java
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.io.*;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.util.*;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ private static class Parser {
         final BufferedReader reader;
         final Builder builder = ChangesFile.builder();
         ChangesFileSection.Builder currentSection;
-
-        final List<String> lineBuffer = new ArrayList<>();
         int lineCount = 0;
 
         Parser(final Path file, final BufferedReader reader) {