diff --git a/recipes/business_today.recipe b/recipes/business_today.recipe
index 4db915ee96..cab351e15a 100644
--- a/recipes/business_today.recipe
+++ b/recipes/business_today.recipe
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ class BT(BasicNewsRecipe):
         # Done with the sorted feeds
 
         for i in feedSort:
-            if i in sections:
-                del sections[i]
+            sections.pop(i, None)
 
         # Append what is left over...
 
diff --git a/ruff-strict-pep8.toml b/ruff-strict-pep8.toml
index a1bca3d6ed..44033b2eab 100644
--- a/ruff-strict-pep8.toml
+++ b/ruff-strict-pep8.toml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ select = [
     'Q', 'UP', 'YTT', 'TID', 'C4', 'COM818',
     'RUF',  # nota: RUF can flag many unsolicited errors
     # preview rules
+    'RUF051', 'RUF056',  # useless dict operation
 ]
 
 [lint.per-file-ignores]
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/device.py b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/device.py
index 421098b535..685dd6a2a3 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/device.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/device.py
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ class Device(DeviceConfig, DevicePlugin):
                     devnodes.append(node)
 
         devnodes += list(repeat(None, 3))
-        ans = ['/dev/'+x if ok.get(x, False) else None for x in devnodes]
+        ans = ['/dev/'+x if ok.get(x) else None for x in devnodes]
         ans.sort(key=lambda x: x[5:] if x else 'zzzzz')
         return self.linux_swap_drives(ans[:3])
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/odt.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/odt.py
index 00dc0237d8..c0c660004e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/odt.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/odt.py
@@ -119,19 +119,19 @@ def get_metadata(stream, extract_cover=True):
         if data.get('opf.metadata'):
             # custom metadata contains OPF information
             opfmeta = True
-            if data.get('opf.titlesort', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.titlesort'):
                 mi.title_sort = data['opf.titlesort']
-            if data.get('opf.authors', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.authors'):
                 mi.authors = string_to_authors(data['opf.authors'])
-            if data.get('opf.authorsort', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.authorsort'):
                 mi.author_sort = data['opf.authorsort']
-            if data.get('opf.isbn', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.isbn'):
                 isbn = check_isbn(data['opf.isbn'])
                 if isbn is not None:
                     mi.isbn = isbn
-            if data.get('opf.publisher', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.publisher'):
                 mi.publisher = data['opf.publisher']
-            if data.get('opf.pubdate', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.pubdate'):
                 mi.pubdate = parse_date(data['opf.pubdate'], assume_utc=True)
             if data.get('opf.identifiers'):
                 try:
@@ -143,14 +143,14 @@ def get_metadata(stream, extract_cover=True):
                     mi.rating = max(0, min(float(data['opf.rating']), 10))
                 except Exception:
                     pass
-            if data.get('opf.series', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.series'):
                 mi.series = data['opf.series']
-                if data.get('opf.seriesindex', ''):
+                if data.get('opf.seriesindex'):
                     try:
                         mi.series_index = float(data['opf.seriesindex'])
                     except Exception:
                         mi.series_index = 1.0
-            if data.get('opf.language', ''):
+            if data.get('opf.language'):
                 cl = canonicalize_lang(data['opf.language'])
                 if cl:
                     mi.languages = [cl]
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/keyboard.py b/src/calibre/gui2/keyboard.py
index 37f9b584dd..dbbc7562ab 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/keyboard.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/keyboard.py
@@ -318,10 +318,8 @@ class ConfigModel(SearchQueryParser, QAbstractItemModel):
             sc = node.data
             un = sc['unique_name']
             if sc['set_to_default']:
-                if un in kmap:
-                    del kmap[un]
-                if un in options_map:
-                    del options_map[un]
+                kmap.pop(un, None)
+                options_map.pop(un, None)
             else:
                 if sc['persist_shortcut']:
                     options_map[un] = options_map.get(un, {})