diff --git a/services/search/pkg/content/extractor.go b/services/search/pkg/content/extractor.go
index a91be6cb4e..3d4e457288 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/content/extractor.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/content/extractor.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func getFirstValue(m map[string][]string, key string) (string, error) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("unknown key: %v", key)
 	}
 
-	if len(m) == 0 {
+	if len(v) == 0 {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("no values for: %v", key)
 	}
 
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location.go b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location.go
index d7b489daab..936ba9b911 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package content
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"strconv"
 
 	libregraph "github.com/opencloud-eu/libre-graph-api-go"
@@ -10,34 +12,40 @@ import (
 const metresToFeet = 3.280839895
 
 func (t Tika) getLocation(meta map[string][]string) *libregraph.GeoCoordinates {
-	var location *libregraph.GeoCoordinates
-	initLocation := func() {
-		if location == nil {
-			location = libregraph.NewGeoCoordinates()
-		}
+	// the facet needs a sane coordinate pair, an altitude alone is useless
+	lat, latErr := parseCoordinate(meta, "geo:lat", 90)
+	long, longErr := parseCoordinate(meta, "geo:long", 180)
+	if latErr != nil || longErr != nil {
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	if v, err := getFirstValue(meta, "geo:lat"); err == nil {
-		if i, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil {
-			initLocation()
-			location.SetLatitude(i)
-		}
-	}
-
-	if v, err := getFirstValue(meta, "geo:long"); err == nil {
-		if i, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil {
-			initLocation()
-			location.SetLongitude(i)
-		}
-	}
+	location := libregraph.NewGeoCoordinates()
+	location.SetLatitude(lat)
+	location.SetLongitude(long)
 
 	// tika emits metres (negative below sea level), graph wants feet
 	if v, err := getFirstValue(meta, "geo:alt"); err == nil {
 		if metres, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil {
-			initLocation()
 			location.SetAltitude(metres * metresToFeet)
 		}
 	}
 
 	return location
 }
+
+func parseCoordinate(meta map[string][]string, key string, limit float64) (float64, error) {
+	v, err := getFirstValue(meta, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	f, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	if math.Abs(f) > limit {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("%s out of range: %v", key, f)
+	}
+
+	return f, nil
+}
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location_test.go b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location_test.go
index 067d06e4f8..8b79810de5 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location_test.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_location_test.go
@@ -22,11 +22,25 @@ var _ = Describe("getLocation", func() {
 
 	It("keeps below-sea-level altitude negative", func() {
 		metres := -227.4
-		location := Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{"geo:alt": {"-227.4"}})
+		location := Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{
+			"geo:lat":  {"31.5"},
+			"geo:long": {"35.47"},
+			"geo:alt":  {"-227.4"},
+		})
 		Expect(location).ToNot(BeNil())
 		Expect(location.Altitude).To(Equal(libregraph.PtrFloat64(metres * metresToFeet)))
 	})
 
+	It("returns nil for an incomplete coordinate pair", func() {
+		Expect(Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{"geo:lat": {"49.48"}})).To(BeNil())
+		Expect(Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{"geo:alt": {"227.4"}})).To(BeNil())
+	})
+
+	It("returns nil for out-of-range coordinates", func() {
+		Expect(Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{"geo:lat": {"91"}, "geo:long": {"11.1"}})).To(BeNil())
+		Expect(Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{"geo:lat": {"49.48"}, "geo:long": {"-180.5"}})).To(BeNil())
+	})
+
 	It("returns nil when no location metadata is present", func() {
 		Expect(Tika{}.getLocation(map[string][]string{})).To(BeNil())
 	})
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_photo.go b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_photo.go
index a833df3b1d..2ee961a300 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/content/tika_photo.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/content/tika_photo.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (t Tika) getPhoto(meta map[string][]string) *libregraph.Photo {
 	}
 
 	if v, err := getFirstValue(meta, "exif:ExposureTime"); err == nil {
-		if i, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil {
+		if i, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err == nil && i > 0 {
 			initPhoto()
 			photo.SetExposureNumerator(1)
 			photo.SetExposureDenominator(math.Round(1 / i))