diff --git a/test/bdd/db/import/linking.feature b/test/bdd/db/import/linking.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0954ed4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bdd/db/import/linking.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+@DB
+Feature: Linking of places
+    Tests for correctly determining linked places
+
+    Scenario: Only address-describing places can be linked
+        Given the scene way-area-with-center
+        And the places
+         | osm  | class   | type   | name  | geometry |
+         | R13  | landuse | forest | Garbo | :area |
+         | N256 | natural | peak   | Garbo | :inner-C |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object  | linked_place_id |
+         | R13     | - |
+         | N256    | - |
+
+    Scenario: Waterways are linked when in waterway relations
+        Given the scene split-road
+        And the places
+         | osm | class    | type  | name  | geometry |
+         | W1  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-2 |
+         | W2  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-3 |
+         | R13 | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-1 + :w-2 + :w-3 |
+         | R23 | waterway | river | Limmat| :w-4a |
+        And the relations
+         | id | members                          | tags+type |
+         | 13 | R23:tributary,W1,W2:main_stream  | waterway |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object | linked_place_id |
+         | W1     | R13 |
+         | W2     | R13 |
+         | R13    | -   |
+         | R23    | -   |
+        When searching for "rhein"
+        Then results contain
+         | osm_type |
+         | R |
+
+    Scenario: Relations are not linked when in waterway relations
+        Given the scene split-road
+        And the places
+         | osm | class    | type  | name  | geometry |
+         | W1  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-2 |
+         | W2  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-3 |
+         | R1  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-1 + :w-2 + :w-3 |
+         | R2  | waterway | river | Limmat| :w-4a |
+        And the relations
+         | id | members                          | tags+type |
+         | 1  | R2                               | waterway  |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object | linked_place_id |
+         | W1     | - |
+         | W2     | - |
+         | R1     | - |
+         | R2     | - |
+
+    Scenario: Empty waterway relations are handled correctly
+        Given the scene split-road
+        And the places
+         | osm | class    | type  | name  | geometry |
+         | R1  | waterway | river | Rhein | :w-1 + :w-2 + :w-3 |
+        And the relations
+         | id | members  | tags+type |
+         | 1  |          | waterway |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object | linked_place_id |
+         | R1     | - |
+
+    Scenario: Waterways are not linked when waterway types don't match
+        Given the scene split-road
+        And the places
+         | osm | class    | type     | name  | geometry |
+         | W1  | waterway | drain    | Rhein | :w-2 |
+         | R1  | waterway | river    | Rhein | :w-1 + :w-2 + :w-3 |
+        And the relations
+         | id | members               | tags+type |
+         | 1  | N23,N34,W1,R45        | multipolygon |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object | linked_place_id |
+         | W1     | - |
+         | R1     | - |
+        When searching for "rhein"
+        Then results contain
+          | ID | osm_type |
+          |  0 | R |
+          |  1 | W |
+
+    Scenario: Side streams are linked only when they have the same name
+        Given the scene split-road
+        And the places
+         | osm | class    | type  | name   | geometry |
+         | W1  | waterway | river | Rhein2 | :w-2 |
+         | W2  | waterway | river | Rhein  | :w-3 |
+         | R1  | waterway | river | Rhein  | :w-1 + :w-2 + :w-3 |
+        And the relations
+         | id | members                           | tags+type |
+         | 1  | W1:side_stream,W2:side_stream     | waterway |
+        When importing
+        Then placex contains
+         | object | linked_place_id |
+         | W1     | -  |
+         | W2     | R1 |
+        When searching for "rhein2"
+        Then results contain
+         | osm_type |
+         | W |
diff --git a/test/bdd/steps/db_ops.py b/test/bdd/steps/db_ops.py
index 405404d8..3f6c7976 100644
--- a/test/bdd/steps/db_ops.py
+++ b/test/bdd/steps/db_ops.py
@@ -154,23 +154,23 @@ def add_data_to_planet_relations(context):
         last_node = 0
         last_way = 0
         parts = []
-        members = []
-        for m in r['members'].split(','):
-            mid = NominatimID(m)
-            if mid.typ == 'N':
-                parts.insert(last_node, int(mid.oid))
-                members.insert(2 * last_node, mid.cls)
-                members.insert(2 * last_node, 'n' + mid.oid)
-                last_node += 1
-                last_way += 1
-            elif mid.typ == 'W':
-                parts.insert(last_way, int(mid.oid))
-                members.insert(2 * last_way, mid.cls)
-                members.insert(2 * last_way, 'w' + mid.oid)
-                last_way += 1
-            else:
-                parts.append(int(mid.oid))
-                members.extend(('r' + mid.oid, mid.cls))
+        if r['members']:
+            members = []
+            for m in r['members'].split(','):
+                mid = NominatimID(m)
+                if mid.typ == 'N':
+                    parts.insert(last_node, int(mid.oid))
+                    last_node += 1
+                    last_way += 1
+                elif mid.typ == 'W':
+                    parts.insert(last_way, int(mid.oid))
+                    last_way += 1
+                else:
+                    parts.append(int(mid.oid))
+
+                members.extend((mid.typ.lower() + mid.oid, mid.cls or ''))
+        else:
+            members = None
 
         tags = []
         for h in r.headings:
@@ -238,9 +238,11 @@ def check_placex_contents(context, exact):
                     eq_(res['name'][name], row[h])
                 elif h.startswith('extratags+'):
                     eq_(res['extratags'][h[10:]], row[h])
-                elif h == 'parent_place_id':
+                elif h in ('linked_place_id', 'parent_place_id'):
                     if row[h] == '0':
                         eq_(0, res[h])
+                    elif row[h] == '-':
+                        assert_is_none(res[h])
                     else:
                         eq_(NominatimID(row[h]).get_place_id(context.db.cursor()),
                             res[h])