diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/compare.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/compare.rs
index 4e91231672..240754ba8f 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/compare.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/compare.rs
@@ -22,15 +22,19 @@ impl CompareFn for PrimitiveArray {
         let present = self
             .validity()
             .to_logical(self.len())
-            .to_present_null_buffer()?
-            .into_inner();
+            .to_null_buffer()?
+            .map(|b| b.into_inner());
         let present_other = flattened
             .validity()
             .to_logical(self.len())
-            .to_present_null_buffer()?
-            .into_inner();
+            .to_null_buffer()?
+            .map(|b| b.into_inner());
 
-        Ok(BoolArray::from(matching_idxs.bitand(&present).bitand(&present_other)).into_array())
+        let mut result = matching_idxs;
+        result = present.map(|p| p.bitand(&result)).unwrap_or(result);
+        result = present_other.map(|p| p.bitand(&result)).unwrap_or(result);
+
+        Ok(BoolArray::from(result).into_array())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/filter_indices.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/filter_indices.rs
index 55e31fbe3e..dc44991d68 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/filter_indices.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/primitive/compute/filter_indices.rs
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@ impl FilterIndicesFn for PrimitiveArray {
         let present_buf = self
             .validity()
             .to_logical(self.len())
-            .to_present_null_buffer()?
-            .into_inner();
+            .to_null_buffer()?
+            .map(|b| b.into_inner());
 
         let bitset: VortexResult<BooleanBuffer> = conjunction_indices
             .reduce(|a, b| Ok(a?.bitor(&b?)))
-            .map(|bitset| Ok(bitset?.bitand(&present_buf)))
+            .map(|bitset| {
+                let bs = bitset?;
+                Ok(present_buf.map(|b| b.bitand(&bs)).unwrap_or(bs))
+            })
             .unwrap_or_else(|| Ok(BooleanBuffer::new_set(self.len())));
 
         Ok(BoolArray::from(bitset?).into_array())
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/validity.rs b/vortex-array/src/validity.rs
index b6157995d3..05185e38bd 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/validity.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/validity.rs
@@ -238,14 +238,6 @@ impl LogicalValidity {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn to_present_null_buffer(&self) -> VortexResult<NullBuffer> {
-        match self {
-            Self::AllValid(l) => Ok(NullBuffer::new_valid(*l)),
-            Self::AllInvalid(l) => Ok(NullBuffer::new_null(*l)),
-            Self::Array(a) => Ok(NullBuffer::new(a.clone().into_bool()?.boolean_buffer())),
-        }
-    }
-
     pub fn all_valid(&self) -> bool {
         matches!(self, Self::AllValid(_))
     }