diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
index f40b8f8..0bf0369 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 		// Try paths in order, using the first value we find
 		for path in field.path.as_slice() {
 			let val = match extractor.query(state, path).await? {
+				Some(PileValue::Null) | None => continue,
 				Some(x) => x,
-				None => continue,
 			};
 
 			let val = val_to_string(state, &val, path, field_name).await?;
diff --git a/crates/pile/src/command/item.rs b/crates/pile/src/command/item.rs
index db1e3a2..5d40910 100644
--- a/crates/pile/src/command/item.rs
+++ b/crates/pile/src/command/item.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ impl CliCmd for ItemCommand {
 						.query(&state, path)
 						.await
 						.with_context(|| format!("while extracting field {name}"))?;
-					if let Some(v) = v {
+					if let Some(v) = v
+						&& !matches!(v, PileValue::Null)
+					{
 						let j = v
 							.to_json(&state)
 							.await