diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 26a0fa2756..224ed6f454 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -282,13 +282,12 @@ func (cli *Client) HTTPClient() *http.Client {
 // ParseHostURL parses a url string, validates the string is a host url, and
 // returns the parsed URL
 func ParseHostURL(host string) (*url.URL, error) {
-	protoAddrParts := strings.SplitN(host, "://", 2)
-	if len(protoAddrParts) == 1 {
+	proto, addr, ok := strings.Cut(host, "://")
+	if !ok || addr == "" {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("unable to parse docker host `%s`", host)
 	}
 
 	var basePath string
-	proto, addr := protoAddrParts[0], protoAddrParts[1]
 	if proto == "tcp" {
 		parsed, err := url.Parse("tcp://" + addr)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/client/ping.go b/client/ping.go
index 27e8695cb5..347ae71e02 100644
--- a/client/ping.go
+++ b/client/ping.go
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ func parsePingResponse(cli *Client, resp serverResponse) (types.Ping, error) {
 		ping.BuilderVersion = types.BuilderVersion(bv)
 	}
 	if si := resp.header.Get("Swarm"); si != "" {
-		parts := strings.SplitN(si, "/", 2)
+		state, role, _ := strings.Cut(si, "/")
 		ping.SwarmStatus = &swarm.Status{
-			NodeState:        swarm.LocalNodeState(parts[0]),
-			ControlAvailable: len(parts) == 2 && parts[1] == "manager",
+			NodeState:        swarm.LocalNodeState(state),
+			ControlAvailable: role == "manager",
 		}
 	}
 	err := cli.checkResponseErr(resp)