diff --git a/src/com/android/contacts/editor/LabeledEditorView.java b/src/com/android/contacts/editor/LabeledEditorView.java
index ebd35f9..a6815a7 100644
--- a/src/com/android/contacts/editor/LabeledEditorView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/contacts/editor/LabeledEditorView.java
@@ -341,8 +341,12 @@
     }
 
     protected boolean isFieldChanged(String column, String value) {
-        String oldValue = mEntry.getAsString(column);
-        return !TextUtils.equals(oldValue, value);
+        final String dbValue = mEntry.getAsString(column);
+        // nullable fields (e.g. Middle Name) are usually represented as empty columns,
+        // so lets treat null and empty space equivalently here
+        final String dbValueNoNull = dbValue == null ? "" : dbValue;
+        final String valueNoNull = value == null ? "" : value;
+        return !TextUtils.equals(dbValueNoNull, valueNoNull);
     }
 
     protected void rebuildValues() {
diff --git a/src/com/android/contacts/model/EntityModifier.java b/src/com/android/contacts/model/EntityModifier.java
index ab19a35..1e014ef 100644
--- a/src/com/android/contacts/model/EntityModifier.java
+++ b/src/com/android/contacts/model/EntityModifier.java
@@ -430,8 +430,10 @@
             if (entries == null) continue;
 
             for (ValuesDelta entry : entries) {
-                if ((entry.isInsert() || entry.isUpdate() || entry.isDelete())
-                        && !isEmpty(entry, kind)) {
+                // An empty Insert must be ignored, because it won't save anything (an example
+                // is an empty name that stays empty)
+                final boolean isRealInsert = entry.isInsert() && !isEmpty(entry, kind);
+                if (isRealInsert || entry.isUpdate() || entry.isDelete()) {
                     return true;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/com/android/contacts/vcard/ExportProcessor.java b/src/com/android/contacts/vcard/ExportProcessor.java
index 9c25aa8..42a71b1 100644
--- a/src/com/android/contacts/vcard/ExportProcessor.java
+++ b/src/com/android/contacts/vcard/ExportProcessor.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.net.Uri;
+import android.provider.ContactsContract.Contacts;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.RawContactsEntity;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -135,7 +136,10 @@
             final Uri contentUriForRawContactsEntity = RawContactsEntity.CONTENT_URI.buildUpon()
                     .appendQueryParameter(RawContactsEntity.FOR_EXPORT_ONLY, "1")
                     .build();
-            if (!composer.initWithRawContactsEntityUri(contentUriForRawContactsEntity)) {
+            // TODO: should provide better selection.
+            if (!composer.init(Contacts.CONTENT_URI, new String[] {Contacts._ID},
+                    null, null,
+                    null, contentUriForRawContactsEntity)) {
                 final String errorReason = composer.getErrorReason();
                 Log.e(LOG_TAG, "initialization of vCard composer failed: " + errorReason);
                 final String translatedErrorReason =