diff --git a/tools/compliance/noticeindex.go b/tools/compliance/noticeindex.go
index cb95b76..dbfede6 100644
--- a/tools/compliance/noticeindex.go
+++ b/tools/compliance/noticeindex.go
@@ -231,14 +231,12 @@
 
 // InputFiles returns the complete list of files read during indexing.
 func (ni *NoticeIndex) InputFiles() []string {
-	licenseMeta := []string(nil)
-	for f := range ni.lg.targets {
-		licenseMeta = append(licenseMeta, f)
-	}
 	projectMeta := ni.pmix.AllMetadataFiles()
-	files := make([]string, 0, len(ni.files) + len(licenseMeta) + len(projectMeta))
+	files := make([]string, 0, len(ni.files) + len(ni.lg.targets) + len(projectMeta))
 	files = append(files, ni.files...)
-	files = append(files, licenseMeta...)
+	for f := range ni.lg.targets {
+		files = append(files, f)
+	}
 	files = append(files, projectMeta...)
 	return files
 }
diff --git a/tools/compliance/projectmetadata/projectmetadata.go b/tools/compliance/projectmetadata/projectmetadata.go
index f9ddbae..f0ad7b5 100644
--- a/tools/compliance/projectmetadata/projectmetadata.go
+++ b/tools/compliance/projectmetadata/projectmetadata.go
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@
 
 // AllMetadataFiles returns the sorted list of all METADATA files read thus far.
 func (ix *Index) AllMetadataFiles() []string {
-	files := []string(nil)
+	var files []string
 	ix.projects.Range(func(key, value any) bool {
 		pi := value.(*projectIndex)
 		if pi.path != "" {