diff --git a/project.mml b/project.mml
index 55975e712..405eb24a7 100644
--- a/project.mml
+++ b/project.mml
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ Layer:
             COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, '') as name
           FROM planet_osm_polygon
           WHERE way && !bbox!
-            AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+            AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
             AND boundary = 'administrative'
             AND admin_level = '2'
             AND way_area > 100*POW(!scale_denominator!*0.001*0.28,2)
@@ -1304,7 +1304,7 @@ Layer:
             round(ascii(md5(osm_id::text)) / 55) AS dir -- base direction factor on geometry to be consistent across metatiles
           FROM planet_osm_point
           WHERE place IN ('city', 'town', 'village', 'hamlet')
-            AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+            AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
             AND tags @> 'capital=>yes'
           ORDER BY population DESC
         ) AS capital_names
@@ -1325,7 +1325,7 @@ Layer:
             ref
           FROM planet_osm_polygon
           WHERE ST_PointOnSurface(way) && !bbox!
-            AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+            AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
             AND boundary = 'administrative'
             AND admin_level = '4'
             AND way_area > 3000*POW(!scale_denominator!*0.001*0.28,2)
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ Layer:
                 ) AS score
               FROM planet_osm_point
               WHERE place IN ('city', 'town')
-                AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+                AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
                 AND NOT (tags @> 'capital=>yes')
             ) as p
           ORDER BY score DESC, length(name) DESC, name
@@ -1392,10 +1392,10 @@ Layer:
             COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, '') as name
           FROM planet_osm_point
           WHERE place IN ('village', 'hamlet')
-             AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+             AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
              AND NOT tags @> 'capital=>yes'
              OR (place IN ('suburb', 'quarter', 'neighbourhood', 'isolated_dwelling', 'farm')
-             ) AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+             ) AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
           ORDER BY CASE
               WHEN place = 'suburb' THEN 7
               WHEN place = 'village' THEN 6
@@ -1507,7 +1507,7 @@ Layer:
             COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, '') as name
           FROM planet_osm_polygon
           WHERE ST_PointOnSurface(way) && !bbox!
-            AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+            AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
             AND man_made = 'bridge'
             AND way_area > 125*POW(!scale_denominator!*0.001*0.28,2)
             AND way_area < 768000*POW(!scale_denominator!*0.001*0.28,2)
@@ -1528,7 +1528,7 @@ Layer:
             admin_level
           FROM planet_osm_polygon
           WHERE ST_PointOnSurface(way) && !bbox!
-            AND COALESCE((tags->('name:it')), (tags->('name:en')),  name, NULL) IS NOT NULL
+            AND name IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:en')) IS NOT NULL AND (tags->('name:it')) IS NOT NULL
             AND boundary = 'administrative'
             AND admin_level IN ('5', '6')
             AND way_area > 12000*POW(!scale_denominator!*0.001*0.28,2)