diff --git a/quilt/query.c b/quilt/query.c
index bc92390..afe5057 100644
--- a/quilt/query.c
+++ b/quilt/query.c
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ spindle_query_request(struct query_struct *dest, QUILTREQ *request, const char *
 	const char *t;
 
 	t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "q");
-	if(t)
+	if(t && t[0])
 	{
 		dest->explicit = 1;
 		quilt_canon_set_param(request->canonical, "q", t);
 	}
 	t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "class");
-	if(t)
+	if(t && t[0])
 	{
 		dest->explicit = 1;
 		quilt_canon_set_param(request->canonical, "class", t);
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ spindle_query_request(struct query_struct *dest, QUILTREQ *request, const char *
 	dest->text = quilt_request_getparam(request, "q");
 	dest->lang = quilt_request_getparam(request, "lang");
 	dest->media = quilt_request_getparam(request, "media");
-	if(dest->text || dest->lang || dest->media)
+	if((dest->text && dest->text[0]) || (dest->lang && dest->lang[0]) || (dest->media && dest->media[0]))
 	{
 		dest->explicit = 1;
 	}
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ spindle_query_request(struct query_struct *dest, QUILTREQ *request, const char *
 	}
 
 	dest->type = quilt_request_getparam(request, "type");
-	if(dest->type)
+	if(dest->type && dest->type[0])
 	{
 		dest->explicit = 1;
 	}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ spindle_query_request(struct query_struct *dest, QUILTREQ *request, const char *
 		quilt_canon_set_param(request->canonical, "type", dest->type);
 	}
 	t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "mode");
-	if(t)
+	if(t && t[0])
 	{
 		if(!strcmp(t, "autocomplete"))
 		{
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ spindle_query_request(struct query_struct *dest, QUILTREQ *request, const char *
 		}
 	}
 	t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "score");
-	if(t)
+	if(t && t[0])
 	{
 		dest->score = atoi(t);
 		quilt_canon_set_param(request->canonical, "score", t);
diff --git a/quilt/request.c b/quilt/request.c
index fa9cbfd..017e578 100644
--- a/quilt/request.c
+++ b/quilt/request.c
@@ -166,14 +166,16 @@ spindle_add_concrete(QUILTREQ *request)
 static int
 spindle_request_is_query_(QUILTREQ *request)
 {
+	const char *t;
+
 	if(!request->home)
 	{
 		return 0;
 	}
-	if(quilt_request_getparam(request, "q") ||
-		 quilt_request_getparam(request, "media") ||
-		 quilt_request_getparam(request, "for") ||
-		 quilt_request_getparam(request, "type"))
+	if(((t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "q")) && t[0]) ||
+	   ((t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "media")) && t[0]) ||
+	   ((t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "for")) && t[0]) ||
+	   ((t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "type")) && t[0]))
 	{
 		request->index = 1;
 		request->home = 0;
@@ -269,11 +271,18 @@ spindle_request_is_partition_(QUILTREQ *request, char **qclass)
 static const char *
 spindle_request_is_lookup_(QUILTREQ *request)
 {
+	const char *t;
+
 	if(!request->home)
 	{
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	return quilt_request_getparam(request, "uri");
+	t = quilt_request_getparam(request, "uri");
+	if(t && t[0])
+	{
+		return t;
+	}
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static struct spindle_dynamic_endpoint *