diff --git a/include/mapnik/geometry/interior.hpp b/include/mapnik/geometry/interior.hpp
index 232ab3321..e7aacd785 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/geometry/interior.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/geometry/interior.hpp
@@ -23,13 +23,16 @@
 #ifndef MAPNIK_GEOMETRY_INTERIOR_HPP
 #define MAPNIK_GEOMETRY_INTERIOR_HPP
 
+#include <mapnik/config.hpp> // for MAPNIK_DECL
 #include <mapnik/geometry/polygon.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/geometry/point.hpp>
 
 namespace mapnik { namespace geometry {
 
 template <class T>
-point<T> interior(polygon<T> const& polygon, double scale_factor);
+MAPNIK_DECL bool interior(polygon<T> const& polygon,
+                          double scale_factor,
+                          point<T> & pt);
 
 } }
 
diff --git a/include/mapnik/markers_placements/interior.hpp b/include/mapnik/markers_placements/interior.hpp
index 69c4b2e07..453251108 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/markers_placements/interior.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/markers_placements/interior.hpp
@@ -62,8 +62,14 @@ public:
         {
             geometry::polygon_vertex_processor<double> vertex_processor;
             vertex_processor.add_path(this->locator_);
-            geometry::point<double> placement = geometry::interior(vertex_processor.polygon_,
-                                                                   this->params_.scale_factor);
+            geometry::point<double> placement;
+            if (!geometry::interior(vertex_processor.polygon_,
+                                   this->params_.scale_factor,
+                                   placement))
+            {
+                this->done_ = true;
+                return false;
+            }
 
             x = placement.x;
             y = placement.y;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_point_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_point_symbolizer.hpp
index 964d4f122..44257ce78 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_point_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_point_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void render_point_symbolizer(point_symbolizer const &sym,
         else if (type == mapnik::geometry::geometry_types::Polygon)
         {
             auto const& poly = mapnik::util::get<geometry::polygon<double> >(geometry);
-            pt = geometry::interior(poly, common.scale_factor_);
+            if (!geometry::interior(poly, common.scale_factor_, pt)) return;
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/geometry/interior.cpp b/src/geometry/interior.cpp
index d1a7c5aee..9f8f5b427 100644
--- a/src/geometry/interior.cpp
+++ b/src/geometry/interior.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <queue>
 
+#pragma GCC diagnostic push
+#include <mapnik/warning_ignore.hpp>
+#include <boost/optional.hpp>
+#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
+
 namespace mapnik { namespace geometry {
 
 // Interior algorithm is realized as a modification of Polylabel algorithm
@@ -140,8 +145,13 @@ struct cell
 };
 
 template <class T>
-point<T> polylabel(const polygon<T>& polygon, T precision = 1)
+boost::optional<point<T>> polylabel(polygon<T> const& polygon, T precision = 1)
 {
+    if (polygon.empty() || polygon.front().empty())
+    {
+        return boost::none;
+    }
+
     // find the bounding box of the outer ring
     const box2d<T> bbox = envelope(polygon.at(0));
     const point<T> size { bbox.width(), bbox.height() };
@@ -159,14 +169,14 @@ point<T> polylabel(const polygon<T>& polygon, T precision = 1)
 
     if (cell_size == 0)
     {
-        return { bbox.minx(), bbox.miny() };
+        return point<T>{ bbox.minx(), bbox.miny() };
     }
 
     point<T> centroid;
     if (!mapnik::geometry::centroid(polygon, centroid))
     {
         auto center = bbox.center();
-        return { center.x, center.y };
+        return point<T>{ center.x, center.y };
     }
 
     fitness_functor<T> fitness_func(centroid, size);
@@ -212,15 +222,21 @@ point<T> polylabel(const polygon<T>& polygon, T precision = 1)
 } // namespace detail
 
 template <class T>
-point<T> interior(polygon<T> const& polygon, double scale_factor)
+bool interior(polygon<T> const& polygon, double scale_factor, point<T> & pt)
 {
     // This precision has been chosen to work well in the map (viewport) coordinates.
     double precision = 10.0 * scale_factor;
-    return detail::polylabel(polygon, precision);
+    if (boost::optional<point<T>> opt = detail::polylabel(polygon, precision))
+    {
+        pt = *opt;
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 template
-point<double> interior(polygon<double> const& polygon, double scale_factor);
+bool interior(polygon<double> const& polygon, double scale_factor, point<double> & pt);
 
 } }
 
diff --git a/src/text/symbolizer_helpers.cpp b/src/text/symbolizer_helpers.cpp
index 9d3f1880c..493e9fe73 100644
--- a/src/text/symbolizer_helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/text/symbolizer_helpers.cpp
@@ -303,8 +303,11 @@ void base_symbolizer_helper::initialize_points() const
                 geometry::polygon<double> tranformed_poly(geometry::transform<double>(poly, transform_group));
                 if (how_placed == INTERIOR_PLACEMENT)
                 {
-                    geometry::point<double> pt = geometry::interior(tranformed_poly, scale_factor_);
-                    points_.emplace_back(pt.x, pt.y);
+                    geometry::point<double> pt;
+                    if (geometry::interior(tranformed_poly, scale_factor_, pt))
+                    {
+                        points_.emplace_back(pt.x, pt.y);
+                    }
                 }
                 else if (how_placed == POLYLABEL_PLACEMENT)
                 {
diff --git a/test/unit/geometry/interior.cpp b/test/unit/geometry/interior.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf7d49e23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/geometry/interior.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#include "catch.hpp"
+
+#include <mapnik/geometry/interior.hpp>
+
+TEST_CASE("polygon interior") {
+
+SECTION("empty polygon") {
+
+    mapnik::geometry::polygon<double> poly;
+    mapnik::geometry::point<double> pt;
+
+    CHECK(!mapnik::geometry::interior(poly, 1.0, pt));
+}
+
+SECTION("empty exterior ring") {
+
+    mapnik::geometry::polygon<double> poly;
+    poly.emplace_back();
+
+    mapnik::geometry::point<double> pt;
+
+    CHECK(!mapnik::geometry::interior(poly, 1.0, pt));
+}
+
+SECTION("interior of a square") {
+
+    mapnik::geometry::polygon<double> poly;
+    poly.emplace_back();
+    auto & exterior_ring = poly.front();
+    exterior_ring.emplace_back(-1, -1);
+    exterior_ring.emplace_back( 1, -1);
+    exterior_ring.emplace_back( 1,  1);
+    exterior_ring.emplace_back(-1,  1);
+    exterior_ring.emplace_back(-1, -1);
+
+    mapnik::geometry::point<double> pt{ -3, -3 };
+
+    CHECK(mapnik::geometry::interior(poly, 1.0, pt));
+    CHECK(pt.x == Approx(0));
+    CHECK(pt.y == Approx(0));
+}
+
+}