diff --git a/placenames.mss b/placenames.mss
index 8223fd41e7..ae5cb6015e 100644
--- a/placenames.mss
+++ b/placenames.mss
@@ -53,43 +53,39 @@
 }
 
 #capital-names {
-  [zoom = 3][population > 600000],
-  [zoom >= 4][zoom < 9] {
+  [zoom >= 4][zoom < 8][population > 600000],
+  [zoom >= 5][zoom < 8] {
     shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-capital-6.svg');
-    shield-text-dy: 4;
-    shield-text-dx: 4;
+    shield-text-dy: 6;
     shield-name: '[name]';
     shield-face-name: @book-fonts;
     shield-fill: @placenames;
-    shield-size: 9;
+    shield-size: 11;
     shield-min-distance: 10;
     shield-wrap-width: 30;
     shield-halo-fill: rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
     shield-halo-radius: 1.5;
     shield-placement-type: simple;
-    shield-placements: 'NE,SE,NW,NE';
+    shield-placements: 'S,N';
     shield-unlock-image: true;
 
     [zoom >= 5] {
-      shield-size: 10;
       shield-wrap-width: 45;
     }
     [zoom >= 6] {
-      shield-size: 11;
+      shield-size: 12;
       shield-wrap-width: 60;
     }
     [zoom >= 7] {
-      shield-size: 12;
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-capital-8.svg');
-      shield-text-dy: 5;
-      shield-text-dx: 5;
+      shield-text-dy: 7;
     }
   }
-  [zoom >= 9] {
+  [zoom >= 8] {
     text-name: '[name]';
     text-face-name: @book-fonts;
     text-fill: @placenames;
-    text-size: 12;
+    text-size: 13;
     text-min-distance: 10;
     text-wrap-width: 60;
     text-halo-fill: rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
@@ -104,43 +100,37 @@
 
 #placenames-medium::high-importance {
   [category = 1][zoom < 14][score >= 400000] {
-    [zoom >= 5][zoom < 9] {
+    [zoom >= 5][zoom < 8] {
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-4.svg');
-      shield-text-dy: 3;
-      shield-text-dx: 3;
+      shield-text-dy: 4;
       shield-name: '[name]';
       shield-face-name: @book-fonts;
       shield-fill: @placenames;
-      shield-size: 9;
+      shield-size: 11;
       shield-min-distance: 10;
       shield-wrap-width: 30;
       shield-halo-fill: rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
       shield-halo-radius: 1.5;
       shield-placement-type: simple;
-      shield-placements: 'NE,SE,NW,NE';
+      shield-placements: 'S,N';
       shield-unlock-image: true;
 
       [zoom >= 5] {
-        shield-size: 10;
         shield-wrap-width: 45;
       }
       [zoom >= 6] {
-        shield-size: 11;
+        shield-size: 12;
         shield-wrap-width: 60;
 
         shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-6.svg');
-        shield-text-dy: 4;
-        shield-text-dx: 4;
-      }
-      [zoom >= 8] {
-        shield-size: 12;
+        shield-text-dy: 5;
       }
     }
-    [zoom >= 9] {
+    [zoom >= 8] {
       text-name: '[name]';
       text-face-name: @book-fonts;
       text-fill: @placenames;
-      text-size: 12;
+      text-size: 13;
       text-min-distance: 10;
       text-wrap-width: 60;
       text-halo-fill: rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
@@ -156,13 +146,12 @@
 
 #placenames-medium::medium-importance {
   [category = 1][score < 400000][zoom < 15] {
-    [zoom >= 6][zoom < 9][score >= 70000],
-    [zoom >= 7][zoom < 9] {
+    [zoom >= 6][zoom < 8][score >= 70000],
+    [zoom >= 7][zoom < 8] {
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-4.svg');
-      shield-text-dy: 3;
-      shield-text-dx: 3;
+      shield-text-dy: 4;
       shield-name: "[name]";
-      shield-size: 9;
+      shield-size: 10;
       shield-fill: @placenames;
       shield-face-name: @book-fonts;
       shield-halo-radius: 1.5;
@@ -170,35 +159,22 @@
       shield-wrap-width: 30;
       shield-min-distance: 10;
       shield-placement-type: simple;
-      shield-placements: 'NE,SE,NW,NE';
+      shield-placements: 'S,N';
       shield-unlock-image: true;
-
-      [zoom >= 8] {
-        shield-size: 10;
-      }
-      [zoom >= 9] {
-        shield-size: 11;
-        shield-wrap-width: 60;
-      }
-      [zoom >= 11] {
-        shield-size: 14;
-        shield-wrap-width: 70;
-      }
-      [zoom >= 14] {
-        shield-size: 15;
-        shield-wrap-width: 75;
-      }
     }
-    [zoom >= 9] {
+    [zoom >= 7] {
       text-name: "[name]";
-      text-size: 11;
+      text-size: 10;
       text-fill: @placenames;
       text-face-name: @book-fonts;
       text-halo-radius: 1.5;
       text-halo-fill: rgba(255,255,255,0.6);
       text-wrap-width: 60;
       text-min-distance: 10;
-
+      [zoom >= 9] {
+        text-size: 12;
+        text-wrap-width: 60;
+      }
       [zoom >= 11] {
         text-size: 14;
         text-wrap-width: 70;
diff --git a/project.mml b/project.mml
index 52f7b9a5f0..94363e65ea 100644
--- a/project.mml
+++ b/project.mml
@@ -1291,7 +1291,7 @@
       "srs": "+proj=merc +a=6378137 +b=6378137 +lat_ts=0.0 +lon_0=0.0 +x_0=0.0 +y_0=0.0 +k=1.0 +units=m +nadgrids=@null +wktext +no_defs +over",
       "Datasource": {
         "extent": "-20037508,-20037508,20037508,20037508",
-        "table": "(SELECT\n    way,\n    name,\n    CASE\n      WHEN population ~ '^-?\\d+(\\.\\d+)?$' THEN population::NUMERIC ELSE 0\n    END as population\n  FROM planet_osm_point\n  WHERE capital = 'yes'\n    AND (admin_level = '2' OR admin_level IS NULL)\n  ORDER BY population DESC\n) AS capital_names",
+        "table": "(SELECT\n    way,\n    name,\n    CASE\n      WHEN (population ~ '^[0-9]{1,8}$') THEN population::INTEGER ELSE 0\n    END as population\n  FROM planet_osm_point\n  WHERE capital = 'yes'\n    AND admin_level = '2'\n  ORDER BY population DESC\n) AS capital_names",
         "geometry_field": "way",
         "type": "postgis",
         "key_field": "",
diff --git a/project.yaml b/project.yaml
index 144d24e02c..40917c339e 100644
--- a/project.yaml
+++ b/project.yaml
@@ -1523,11 +1523,11 @@ Layer:
             way,
             name,
             CASE
-              WHEN population ~ '^-?\d+(\.\d+)?$' THEN population::NUMERIC ELSE 0
+              WHEN (population ~ '^[0-9]{1,8}$') THEN population::INTEGER ELSE 0
             END as population
           FROM planet_osm_point
           WHERE capital = 'yes'
-            AND (admin_level = '2' OR admin_level IS NULL)
+            AND admin_level = '2'
           ORDER BY population DESC
         ) AS capital_names
     properties: