diff --git a/lisp/org-agenda.el b/lisp/org-agenda.el
index 8b1fd7c64..35d9daba9 100644
--- a/lisp/org-agenda.el
+++ b/lisp/org-agenda.el
@@ -4883,9 +4883,7 @@ function from a program - use `org-agenda-get-day-entries' instead."
     ;; I am not sure if this works with sticky agendas, because the marker
     ;; list is then no longer a global variable.
     (org-agenda-reset-markers))
-  ;; Prevent `org-compile-prefix-format' to fail when there is no agenda
-  (when (buffer-live-p org-agenda-buffer)
-    (org-compile-prefix-format 'agenda))
+  (org-compile-prefix-format 'agenda)
   (org-set-sorting-strategy 'agenda)
   (setq args (or args '(:deadline :scheduled :timestamp :sexp)))
   (let* ((files (if (and entry (stringp entry) (string-match "\\S-" entry))
@@ -6180,7 +6178,7 @@ and stored in the variable `org-prefix-format-compiled'."
       (setq s (replace-match "%s" t nil s))
       (push varform vars))
     (setq vars (nreverse vars))
-    (with-current-buffer org-agenda-buffer
+    (with-current-buffer (or org-agenda-buffer (current-buffer))
       (setq org-prefix-format-compiled
 	    (list
 	     `((org-prefix-has-time ,org-prefix-has-time)