diff --git a/include/geode/basic/sparse_attribute.hpp b/include/geode/basic/sparse_attribute.hpp
index c41b38dd8..8dcc14636 100644
--- a/include/geode/basic/sparse_attribute.hpp
+++ b/include/geode/basic/sparse_attribute.hpp
@@ -84,11 +84,14 @@ namespace geode
 
         [[nodiscard]] bool has_value( index_t element ) const override
         {
-            if( value( element ) == default_values_.no_value )
+            if constexpr( std::is_floating_point_v< T > )
             {
-                return false;
+                if( std::isnan( default_values_.no_value ) )
+                {
+                    return std::isnan( value( element ) );
+                }
             }
-            return true;
+            return value( element ) != default_values_.no_value;
         }
 
         void set_value( index_t element, T value )
diff --git a/include/geode/basic/variable_attribute.hpp b/include/geode/basic/variable_attribute.hpp
index 57a2ab128..bc2d811e9 100644
--- a/include/geode/basic/variable_attribute.hpp
+++ b/include/geode/basic/variable_attribute.hpp
@@ -73,11 +73,14 @@ namespace geode
 
         [[nodiscard]] bool has_value( index_t element ) const override
         {
-            if( values_[element] == default_values_.no_value )
+            if constexpr( std::is_floating_point_v< T > )
             {
-                return false;
+                if( std::isnan( default_values_.no_value ) )
+                {
+                    return !std::isnan( value( element ) );
+                }
             }
-            return true;
+            return values_[element] != default_values_.no_value;
         }
 
         void set_value( index_t element, T value )
@@ -342,11 +345,7 @@ namespace geode
 
         [[nodiscard]] bool has_value( index_t element ) const override
         {
-            if( value( element ) == default_values_.no_value )
-            {
-                return false;
-            }
-            return true;
+            return value( element ) != default_values_.no_value;
         }
 
         void set_value( index_t element, bool value )
diff --git a/include/geode/model/mixin/core/component_mesh_element.hpp b/include/geode/model/mixin/core/component_mesh_element.hpp
index c48014e0d..55ee4d4ce 100644
--- a/include/geode/model/mixin/core/component_mesh_element.hpp
+++ b/include/geode/model/mixin/core/component_mesh_element.hpp
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ namespace geode
                    && element_id == other.element_id;
         }
 
+        [[nodiscard]] bool operator!=( const ComponentMeshElement& other ) const
+        {
+            return component_id != other.component_id
+                   || element_id != other.element_id;
+        }
+
         template < typename Archive >
         void serialize( Archive& serializer )
         {