diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 3d1b811e..368eea4b 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.3.308
+8.3.309
diff --git a/extract/ExtBasic.c b/extract/ExtBasic.c
index 61d6e63d..c50b9065 100644
--- a/extract/ExtBasic.c
+++ b/extract/ExtBasic.c
@@ -4016,11 +4016,11 @@ extNodeAreaFunc(tile, arg)
 	if (extNodeClipArea)
 	{
 	    TITORECT(tile, &r);
-	    GEOCLIP(&r, extNodeClipArea);
 
 	    /* Check if the tile is outside the clip area */
-	    if ((r.r_xtop <= r.r_xbot) || (r.r_ytop < r.r_ybot)) continue;
+	    if (!GEO_OVERLAP(&r, extNodeClipArea)) continue;
 
+	    GEOCLIP(&r, extNodeClipArea);
 	    area = (dlong)(r.r_xtop - r.r_xbot) * (dlong)(r.r_ytop - r.r_ybot);
 	}
 	else area = (dlong)(TOP(tile) - BOTTOM(tile)) * (dlong)(RIGHT(tile) - LEFT(tile));
diff --git a/extract/ExtCouple.c b/extract/ExtCouple.c
index 98c31e11..8e7e8caa 100644
--- a/extract/ExtCouple.c
+++ b/extract/ExtCouple.c
@@ -706,11 +706,10 @@ extAddCouple(bp, ecs)
 	bpCopy = *bp;
 	bp = &bpCopy;
 
-	GEOCLIP(&bp->b_segment, extCoupleSearchArea);
-
-	if ((bp->b_segment.r_ytop <= bp->b_segment.r_ybot) ||
-		(bp->b_segment.r_xtop <= bp->b_segment.r_xbot))
+	if (!GEO_OVERLAP(&bp->b_segment, extCoupleSearchArea))
 	    return 0;
+
+	GEOCLIP(&bp->b_segment, extCoupleSearchArea);
     }
     r = ovr = bp->b_segment;
 
@@ -894,9 +893,6 @@ extSideOverlap(tp, esws)
     tb = TiGetType(tp);
     if (tb == TT_SPACE) return (0);
 
-    /* If shapes belong to the same node then there is no coupling. */
-    if (rtp == rbp) return (0);
-
     if (bp->b_segment.r_xtop == bp->b_segment.r_xbot)
     {
 	length = MIN(bp->b_segment.r_ytop, TOP(tp))