diff --git a/lib-php/ParameterParser.php b/lib-php/ParameterParser.php
index 98b95388ce..070be36c24 100644
--- a/lib-php/ParameterParser.php
+++ b/lib-php/ParameterParser.php
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public function getSet($sName, $aValues, $sDefault = false)
             return $sDefault;
         }
 
-        if (!in_array($this->aParams[$sName], $aValues)) {
+        if (!in_array($this->aParams[$sName], $aValues, true)) {
             userError("Parameter '$sName' must be one of: ".join(', ', $aValues));
         }
 
diff --git a/lib-php/SimpleWordList.php b/lib-php/SimpleWordList.php
index ecd02153da..7009d370f9 100644
--- a/lib-php/SimpleWordList.php
+++ b/lib-php/SimpleWordList.php
@@ -120,13 +120,18 @@ public function getWordSets($oTokens)
         return array_slice($aWordSets, 0, SimpleWordList::MAX_WORDSETS);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Custom search routine which takes two arrays. The array with the fewest
+     * items wins. If same number of items then the one with the longest first
+     * element wins.
+     */
     public static function cmpByArraylen($aA, $aB)
     {
         $iALen = count($aA);
         $iBLen = count($aB);
 
         if ($iALen == $iBLen) {
-            return 0;
+            return strlen($aB[0]) <=> strlen($aA[0]);
         }
 
         return ($iALen < $iBLen) ? -1 : 1;
diff --git a/test/php/Nominatim/ParameterParserTest.php b/test/php/Nominatim/ParameterParserTest.php
index 1488c987a2..7381bdf84a 100644
--- a/test/php/Nominatim/ParameterParserTest.php
+++ b/test/php/Nominatim/ParameterParserTest.php
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ public function testGetString()
 
     public function testGetSet()
     {
+        $this->expectException(\Exception::class);
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage("Parameter 'val3' must be one of: foo, bar");
+
         $oParams = new ParameterParser(array(
                                         'val1' => 'foo',
                                         'val2' => '',
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ public function testGetSet()
         $this->assertSame('foo', $oParams->getSet('val1', array('foo', 'bar')));
 
         $this->assertSame(false, $oParams->getSet('val2', array('foo', 'bar')));
-        $this->assertSame(0, $oParams->getSet('val3', array('foo', 'bar')));
+        $oParams->getSet('val3', array('foo', 'bar'));
     }
 
 
diff --git a/test/php/Nominatim/SimpleWordListTest.php b/test/php/Nominatim/SimpleWordListTest.php
index fe543b3faa..69cb518091 100644
--- a/test/php/Nominatim/SimpleWordListTest.php
+++ b/test/php/Nominatim/SimpleWordListTest.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public function testMultiWordPhrase()
 
         $oList = new SimpleWordList('a b c');
         $this->assertEquals(
-            '(a b c),(a|b c),(a b|c),(a|b|c)',
+            '(a b c),(a b|c),(a|b c),(a|b|c)',
             $this->serializeSets($oList->getWordSets(new TokensFullSet()))
         );
 
@@ -88,6 +88,22 @@ public function testMultiWordPhrase()
         );
     }
 
+    public function testCmpByArraylen()
+    {
+        // Array elements are phrases, we want to sort so longest phrases are first
+        $aList1 = array('hackney', 'bridge', 'london', 'england');
+        $aList2 = array('hackney', 'london', 'bridge');
+        $aList3 = array('bridge', 'hackney', 'london', 'england');
+
+        $this->assertEquals(0, \Nominatim\SimpleWordList::cmpByArraylen($aList1, $aList1));
+
+        // list2 "wins". Less array elements
+        $this->assertEquals(1, \Nominatim\SimpleWordList::cmpByArraylen($aList1, $aList2));
+        $this->assertEquals(-1, \Nominatim\SimpleWordList::cmpByArraylen($aList2, $aList3));
+
+        // list1 "wins". Same number of array elements but longer first element
+        $this->assertEquals(-1, \Nominatim\SimpleWordList::cmpByArraylen($aList1, $aList3));
+    }
 
     public function testMaxWordSets()
     {