diff --git a/plugins/match.hpp b/plugins/match.hpp
index 441bbb798..b5f398ceb 100644
--- a/plugins/match.hpp
+++ b/plugins/match.hpp
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@ template <class DataFacadeT> class MapMatchingPlugin : public BasePlugin
             auto range = input_bearings.size() > 0 ? (input_bearings[current_coordinate].second ? *input_bearings[current_coordinate].second : 10 ) : 180;
             auto candidates = facade->NearestPhantomNodesInRange(input_coords[current_coordinate], query_radius, bearing, range);
 
+            if (candidates.size() == 0)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+
             // sort by foward id, then by reverse id and then by distance
             std::sort(candidates.begin(), candidates.end(),
                 [](const PhantomNodeWithDistance& lhs, const PhantomNodeWithDistance& rhs) {
@@ -361,6 +366,8 @@ template <class DataFacadeT> class MapMatchingPlugin : public BasePlugin
             {
                 current_phantom_node_pair.source_phantom = sub.nodes[i];
                 current_phantom_node_pair.target_phantom = sub.nodes[i + 1];
+                BOOST_ASSERT(current_phantom_node_pair.source_phantom.is_valid());
+                BOOST_ASSERT(current_phantom_node_pair.target_phantom.is_valid());
                 raw_route.segment_end_coordinates.emplace_back(current_phantom_node_pair);
             }
             search_engine_ptr->shortest_path(
diff --git a/routing_algorithms/shortest_path.hpp b/routing_algorithms/shortest_path.hpp
index 3357670f7..a2646c500 100644
--- a/routing_algorithms/shortest_path.hpp
+++ b/routing_algorithms/shortest_path.hpp
@@ -375,7 +375,15 @@ class ShortestPathRouting final
                                     search_to_reverse_node, source_phantom, target_phantom,
                                     total_distance_to_forward, total_distance_to_reverse,
                                     new_total_distance_to_forward, packed_leg_to_forward);
-                    if (target_phantom.reverse_node_id != SPECIAL_NODEID)
+                    // if only the reverse node is valid (e.g. when using the match plugin) we actually need to move
+                    if (target_phantom.forward_node_id == SPECIAL_NODEID)
+                    {
+                        BOOST_ASSERT(target_phantom.reverse_node_id != SPECIAL_NODEID);
+                        new_total_distance_to_reverse = new_total_distance_to_forward;
+                        packed_leg_to_reverse = std::move(packed_leg_to_forward);
+                        new_total_distance_to_forward = INVALID_EDGE_WEIGHT;
+                    }
+                    else if (target_phantom.reverse_node_id != SPECIAL_NODEID)
                     {
                         new_total_distance_to_reverse = new_total_distance_to_forward;
                         packed_leg_to_reverse = packed_leg_to_forward;