diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.Abstractions/Admin/Settings/ProxyAndRecordSettingsModel.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.Abstractions/Admin/Settings/ProxyAndRecordSettingsModel.cs
index 553dd0b9..34a54e41 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.Abstractions/Admin/Settings/ProxyAndRecordSettingsModel.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.Abstractions/Admin/Settings/ProxyAndRecordSettingsModel.cs
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ public class ProxyAndRecordSettingsModel
     /// <summary>
     /// Defines a list from headers which will be excluded from the saved mappings.
     /// </summary>
-    public string[] ExcludedHeaders { get; set; }
+    public string[] ExcludedHeaders { get; set; } = [];
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Defines a list of cookies which will be excluded from the saved mappings.
     /// </summary>
-    public string[] ExcludedCookies { get; set; }
+    public string[] ExcludedCookies { get; set; } = [];
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Prefer the Proxy Mapping over the saved Mapping (in case SaveMapping is set to <c>true</c>).
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware.csproj b/src/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware.csproj
index 4b62f48a..79581b52 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware.csproj
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware/WireMock.Net.AspNetCore.Middleware.csproj
@@ -32,11 +32,6 @@
         <GeneratePackageOnBuild>true</GeneratePackageOnBuild>
     </PropertyGroup>
 
-    <ItemGroup>
-        <None Remove="../../resources/WireMock.Net-Logo.png" />
-        <None Include="../../resources/WireMock.Net-LogoAspire.png" Pack="true" PackagePath="" />
-    </ItemGroup>
-
     <ItemGroup>
         <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions" Version="8.0.2" />
     </ItemGroup>
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddleware.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddleware.cs
index ac6a4bd1..a33c9592 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddleware.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddleware.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ internal class GlobalExceptionMiddleware
         _responseMapper = Guard.NotNull(responseMapper);
     }
 
-    public RequestDelegate? Next { get; }
+    public RequestDelegate Next { get; }
 
     public Task Invoke(HttpContext ctx)
     {
@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@ internal class GlobalExceptionMiddleware
     {
         try
         {
-            if (Next != null)
-            {
-                await Next.Invoke(ctx).ConfigureAwait(false);
-            }
+            await Next.Invoke(ctx).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/WireMockMiddleware.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/WireMockMiddleware.cs
index e0345f50..71851167 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/WireMockMiddleware.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/Owin/WireMockMiddleware.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright © WireMock.Net
 
 using System.Diagnostics;
-using System.Linq;
 using System.Net;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
 using WireMock.Constants;
@@ -18,7 +17,9 @@ using WireMock.Util;
 namespace WireMock.Owin;
 
 internal class WireMockMiddleware(
+#pragma warning disable CS9113 // Parameter is unread.
     RequestDelegate next,
+#pragma warning restore CS9113 // Parameter is unread.
     IWireMockMiddlewareOptions options,
     IOwinRequestMapper requestMapper,
     IOwinResponseMapper responseMapper,
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.OpenApiParser/Mappers/OpenApiPathsMapper.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.OpenApiParser/Mappers/OpenApiPathsMapper.cs
index 8662a133..956cdf3a 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.OpenApiParser/Mappers/OpenApiPathsMapper.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.OpenApiParser/Mappers/OpenApiPathsMapper.cs
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ internal class OpenApiPathsMapper(WireMockOpenApiParserSettings settings)
         var mappedHeaders = headers?
             .ToDictionary(item => item.Key, _ => GetExampleMatcherModel(null, _settings.HeaderPatternToUse).Pattern!) ?? [];
 
-        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(responseContentType))
+        if (responseContentType != null)
         {
             mappedHeaders.TryAdd(HeaderContentType, responseContentType);
         }
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.Shared/Matchers/Request/RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.Shared/Matchers/Request/RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher.cs
index 42b10daa..0f378fd4 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.Shared/Matchers/Request/RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.Shared/Matchers/Request/RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 // Copyright © WireMock.Net
 
-using System;
 using WireMock.Models;
 using WireMock.Util;
 
@@ -40,6 +39,6 @@ public class RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher : IRequestMatcher
 
     private MatchResult GetMatchResult(IRequestMessage requestMessage)
     {
-        return Matcher?.IsMatchAsync(requestMessage.BodyAsBytes).GetAwaiter().GetResult() ?? default;
+        return Matcher?.IsMatchAsync(requestMessage.BodyAsBytes).GetAwaiter().GetResult() ?? MatchResult.From(nameof(RequestMessageProtoBufMatcher));
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/FluentAssertions/WireMockAdminApiAssertionsTests.cs b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/FluentAssertions/WireMockAdminApiAssertionsTests.cs
index c8e3def2..5f7f3c07 100644
--- a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/FluentAssertions/WireMockAdminApiAssertionsTests.cs
+++ b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/FluentAssertions/WireMockAdminApiAssertionsTests.cs
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ public class WireMockAdminApiAssertionsTests : IDisposable
     public async Task HaveReceivedACall_FromClientIP_whenACallWasMadeFromClientIP_Should_BeOK()
     {
         await _httpClient.GetAsync("", _ct);
-        var clientIP = _server.LogEntries.Last().RequestMessage.ClientIP;
+        var clientIP = _server.LogEntries.Last().RequestMessage!.ClientIP;
 
         _adminApi.Should()
             .HaveReceivedACall()
diff --git a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests.cs b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests.cs
index eacadc6a..868fafa0 100644
--- a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests.cs
+++ b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
 using Moq;
+using WireMock.Logging;
 using WireMock.Owin;
 using WireMock.Owin.Mappers;
 
@@ -17,20 +18,32 @@ public class GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests
     public GlobalExceptionMiddlewareTests()
     {
         _optionsMock = new Mock<IWireMockMiddlewareOptions>();
-        _optionsMock.SetupAllProperties();
+        _optionsMock.SetupGet(o => o.Logger).Returns(Mock.Of<IWireMockLogger>());
 
         _responseMapperMock = new Mock<IOwinResponseMapper>();
-        _responseMapperMock.SetupAllProperties();
         _responseMapperMock.Setup(m => m.MapAsync(It.IsAny<ResponseMessage?>(), It.IsAny<HttpResponse>())).Returns(Task.FromResult(true));
 
-        _sut = new GlobalExceptionMiddleware(null, _optionsMock.Object, _responseMapperMock.Object);
+        _sut = new GlobalExceptionMiddleware(_ => Task.CompletedTask, _optionsMock.Object, _responseMapperMock.Object);
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void GlobalExceptionMiddleware_Invoke_NullAsNext_DoesNotInvokeNextAndDoesNotThrow()
+    public void GlobalExceptionMiddleware_Invoke_ValidNext_ShouldNotThrow()
     {
         // Act
-        Action act = () => _sut.Invoke(null);
-        act.Should().NotThrow();
+        _sut.Invoke(Mock.Of<HttpContext>());
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void GlobalExceptionMiddleware_Invoke_InvalidNext_ShouldCallResponseMapperWith500()
+    {
+        // Arrange
+        var sut = new GlobalExceptionMiddleware(_ => throw new ArgumentException(), _optionsMock.Object, _responseMapperMock.Object);
+
+        // Act
+        sut.Invoke(Mock.Of<HttpContext>());
+
+        // Verify
+        _responseMapperMock.Verify(m => m.MapAsync(It.IsAny<ResponseMessage>(), It.IsAny<HttpResponse>()), Times.Once);
+        _responseMapperMock.VerifyNoOtherCalls();
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/ResponseBuilders/ResponseWithBodyFromFileTests.cs b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/ResponseBuilders/ResponseWithBodyFromFileTests.cs
index eb5ad343..a0642988 100644
--- a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/ResponseBuilders/ResponseWithBodyFromFileTests.cs
+++ b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/ResponseBuilders/ResponseWithBodyFromFileTests.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class ResponseWithBodyFromFileTests
             );
 
         // Act
-        var response = await new HttpClient().GetStringAsync("http://localhost:" + server.Ports[0] + "/v1/content");
+        var response = await new HttpClient().GetStringAsync("http://localhost:" + server.Ports[0] + "/v1/content", _ct);
 
         // Assert
         response.Should().Contain("<hello>world</hello>");
diff --git a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/WebSockets/WebSocketIntegrationTests.cs b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/WebSockets/WebSocketIntegrationTests.cs
index c01693ae..3aa0378e 100644
--- a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/WebSockets/WebSocketIntegrationTests.cs
+++ b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/WebSockets/WebSocketIntegrationTests.cs
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ public class WebSocketIntegrationTests(ITestOutputHelper output, ITestContextAcc
         var proxyUri = new Uri($"{sut.Url}/ws/proxy");
         await client.ConnectAsync(proxyUri, _ct);
 
-        await Task.Delay(500, _ct);
+        await Task.Delay(250, _ct);
 
         var testData = new byte[] { 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05 };
 
@@ -805,6 +805,8 @@ public class WebSocketIntegrationTests(ITestOutputHelper output, ITestContextAcc
 
         var receivedData = await client.ReceiveAsBytesAsync(cancellationToken: _ct);
 
+        await Task.Delay(250, _ct);
+
         // Assert
         receivedData.Should().BeEquivalentTo(testData, "binary data should be proxied and echoed back");