diff --git a/nominatim/tools/special_phrases/special_phrase.py b/nominatim/tools/special_phrases/special_phrase.py
index eb95d919..3b6aef85 100644
--- a/nominatim/tools/special_phrases/special_phrase.py
+++ b/nominatim/tools/special_phrases/special_phrase.py
@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@ class SpecialPhrase():
         # Hack around a bug where building=yes was imported with quotes into the wiki
         self.p_type = re.sub(r'\"|"', '', p_type.strip())
         # Needed if some operator in the wiki are not written in english
-        p_operator = p_operator.strip()
+        p_operator = p_operator.strip().lower()
         self.p_operator = '-' if p_operator not in ('near', 'in') else p_operator
diff --git a/test/testdata/special_phrases_test_content.txt b/test/testdata/special_phrases_test_content.txt
index 739ded0d..e790ca58 100644
--- a/test/testdata/special_phrases_test_content.txt
+++ b/test/testdata/special_phrases_test_content.txt
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@
 <model>wikitext</model>
 <format>text/x-wiki</format>
 <text bytes="158218" sha1="cst5x7tt58izti1pxzgljf27tx8qjcj" xml:space="preserve">
-== en == {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Word / Phrase !! Key !! Value !! Operator !! Plural |- | Zip Line || aerialway || zip_line || - || N |- | Zip Lines || aerialway || zip_line || - || Y |- | Zip Line in || aerialway || zip_line || in || N |- | Zip Lines in || aerialway || zip_line || in || Y |- | Zip Line near || aerialway || zip_line || near || N |- | Animal shelter || amenity || animal_shelter || - || N |- | Animal shelters || amenity || animal_shelter || - || Y |- | Animal shelter in || amenity || animal_shelter || in || N |- | Animal shelters in || amenity || animal_shelter || in || Y |- | Animal shelter near || amenity || animal_shelter || near|| N |- | Animal shelters near || amenity || animal_shelter || near|| Y |- | Drinking Water near || amenity || drinking_water || near || N |- | Water || amenity || drinking_water || - || N |- | Water in || amenity || drinking_water || in || N |- | Water near || amenity || drinking_water || near || N |- | Embassy || amenity || embassy || - || N |- | Embassys || amenity || embassy || - || Y |- | Embassies || amenity || embassy || - || Y |- |Coworkings near |amenity |coworking_space |near |Y |} [[Category:Word list]]
+== en == {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Word / Phrase !! Key !! Value !! Operator !! Plural |- | Zip Line || aerialway || zip_line || - || N |- | Zip Lines || aerialway || zip_line || - || Y |- | Zip Line in || aerialway || zip_line || in || N |- | Zip Lines in || aerialway || zip_line || in || Y |- | Zip Line near || aerialway || zip_line || near || N |- | Animal shelter || amenity || animal_shelter || - || N |- | Animal shelters || amenity || animal_shelter || - || Y |- | Animal shelter in || amenity || animal_shelter || in || N |- | Animal shelters in || amenity || animal_shelter || in || Y |- | Animal shelter near || amenity || animal_shelter || near|| N |- | Animal shelters near || amenity || animal_shelter || NEAR|| Y |- | Drinking Water near || amenity || drinking_water || near || N |- | Water || amenity || drinking_water || - || N |- | Water in || amenity || drinking_water || In || N |- | Water near || amenity || drinking_water || near || N |- | Embassy || amenity || embassy || - || N |- | Embassys || amenity || embassy || - || Y |- | Embassies || amenity || embassy || - || Y |- |Coworkings near |amenity |coworking_space |near |Y |} [[Category:Word list]]
 </text>
 <sha1>cst5x7tt58izti1pxzgljf27tx8qjcj</sha1>
 </revision>
 </page>
-</mediawiki>
\ No newline at end of file
+</mediawiki>