diff --git a/placenames.mss b/placenames.mss
index 5a7d913fdb..27ae09cb0f 100644
--- a/placenames.mss
+++ b/placenames.mss
@@ -56,17 +56,18 @@
   [zoom >= 4][zoom < 8][population > 600000],
   [zoom >= 5][zoom < 8] {
     shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-capital-6.svg');
+    shield-text-dx: 6;
     shield-text-dy: 6;
     shield-name: '[name]';
     shield-face-name: @book-fonts;
     shield-fill: @placenames;
     shield-size: 11;
-    shield-min-distance: 10;
+    shield-min-distance: 5;
     shield-wrap-width: 30;
     shield-halo-fill: @standard-halo-fill;
     shield-halo-radius: @standard-halo-radius * 1.5;
     shield-placement-type: simple;
-    shield-placements: 'S,N';
+    shield-placements: 'S,N,E,W';
     shield-unlock-image: true;
 
     [zoom >= 5] {
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@
     }
     [zoom >= 7] {
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-capital-8.svg');
+      shield-text-dx: 7;
       shield-text-dy: 7;
     }
   }
@@ -102,17 +104,18 @@
   [category = 1][zoom < 14][score >= 400000] {
     [zoom >= 5][zoom < 8] {
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-4.svg');
+      shield-text-dx: 4;
       shield-text-dy: 4;
       shield-name: '[name]';
       shield-face-name: @book-fonts;
       shield-fill: @placenames;
       shield-size: 11;
-      shield-min-distance: 10;
+      shield-min-distance: 5;
       shield-wrap-width: 30;
       shield-halo-fill: @standard-halo-fill;
       shield-halo-radius: @standard-halo-radius * 1.5;
       shield-placement-type: simple;
-      shield-placements: 'S,N';
+      shield-placements: 'S,N,E,W';
       shield-unlock-image: true;
 
       [zoom >= 5] {
@@ -123,6 +126,7 @@
         shield-wrap-width: 60;
 
         shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-6.svg');
+        shield-text-dx: 5;
         shield-text-dy: 5;
       }
     }
@@ -149,6 +153,7 @@
     [zoom >= 6][zoom < 8][score >= 70000],
     [zoom >= 7][zoom < 8] {
       shield-file: url('symbols/place/place-4.svg');
+      shield-text-dx: 4;
       shield-text-dy: 4;
       shield-name: "[name]";
       shield-size: 10;
@@ -157,9 +162,9 @@
       shield-halo-fill: @standard-halo-fill;
       shield-halo-radius: @standard-halo-radius * 1.5;
       shield-wrap-width: 30;
-      shield-min-distance: 10;
+      shield-min-distance: 5;
       shield-placement-type: simple;
-      shield-placements: 'S,N';
+      shield-placements: 'S,N,E,W';
       shield-unlock-image: true;
     }
     [zoom >= 7] {
diff --git a/project.mml b/project.mml
index 52f7b9a5f0..63032d538f 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": "",
@@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@
       "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    score,\n    CASE\n      WHEN (place = 'city') THEN 1\n      ELSE 2\n    END as category\n  FROM \n    (SELECT\n        way,\n        place,\n        name,\n        (\n          (CASE\n            WHEN (population ~ '^[0-9]{1,8}$') THEN population::INTEGER\n            WHEN (place = 'city') THEN 100000\n            WHEN (place = 'town') THEN 1000\n            ELSE 1\n          END)\n          *\n          (CASE\n            WHEN (capital = '4' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level = '4')) THEN 2\n            ELSE 1\n          END)\n        ) AS score\n      FROM planet_osm_point\n      WHERE place IN ('city', 'town')\n        AND name IS NOT NULL\n        AND capital IS NULL OR capital = '4' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level = '4')\n    ) as p\n  ORDER BY score DESC, length(name) DESC, name\n) AS placenames_medium",
+        "table": "(SELECT\n    way,\n    name,\n    score,\n    CASE\n      WHEN (place = 'city') THEN 1\n      ELSE 2\n    END as category\n  FROM \n    (SELECT\n        way,\n        place,\n        name,\n        (\n          (CASE\n            WHEN (population ~ '^[0-9]{1,8}$') THEN population::INTEGER\n            WHEN (place = 'city') THEN 100000\n            WHEN (place = 'town') THEN 1000\n            ELSE 1\n          END)\n          *\n          (CASE\n            WHEN (capital = '4' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level = '4')) THEN 2\n            ELSE 1\n          END)\n        ) AS score\n      FROM planet_osm_point\n      WHERE place IN ('city', 'town')\n        AND name IS NOT NULL\n        AND capital IS NULL OR capital != '2' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level != '2')\n    ) as p\n  ORDER BY score DESC, length(name) DESC, name\n) AS placenames_medium",
         "geometry_field": "way",
         "type": "postgis",
         "key_field": "",
diff --git a/project.yaml b/project.yaml
index 144d24e02c..8051d272f1 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:
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ Layer:
               FROM planet_osm_point
               WHERE place IN ('city', 'town')
                 AND name IS NOT NULL
-                AND capital IS NULL OR capital = '4' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level = '4')
+                AND capital IS NULL OR capital != '2' OR (capital = 'yes' AND admin_level != '2')
             ) as p
           ORDER BY score DESC, length(name) DESC, name
         ) AS placenames_medium