diff --git a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/BaseAdapter.php b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/BaseAdapter.php
index 05d32bc..32c19d1 100644
--- a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/BaseAdapter.php
+++ b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/BaseAdapter.php
@@ -186,11 +186,23 @@ protected function buildCriteria(array $statements, bool $bindValues = true): ar
                 // Get the criteria only query from the nestedCriteria object
                 $queryObject = $nestedCriteria->getQuery('criteriaOnly', true);
 
+                // Skip if the closure didn't add any criteria (empty closure)
+                $sql = $queryObject->getSql();
+                if (trim($sql) === '')
+                {
+                    // Remove the joiner (AND/OR) that was already pushed before the closure check
+                    if ($joiner !== '')
+                    {
+                        array_pop($criteria);
+                    }
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 // Merge the bindings we get from nestedCriteria object
                 $bindings[] = $queryObject->getBindings();
 
                 // Append the sql we get from the nestedCriteria object
-                $criteria[] = "({$queryObject->getSql()})";
+                $criteria[] = "({$sql})";
 
                 continue;
             }
@@ -358,7 +370,7 @@ protected function buildAliasedTableName(string $table, array $statements): stri
     {
         $this->aliasPrefix = $statements['aliases'][$table] ?? null;
         if ($this->aliasPrefix !== null) {
-            return sprintf('%s AS %s', $this->wrapSanitizer($table), $this->wrapSanitizer(strtolower($this->aliasPrefix)));
+            return sprintf('%s AS %s', $this->wrapSanitizer($table), $this->wrapSanitizer($this->aliasPrefix));
         }
 
         return sprintf('%s', $this->wrapSanitizer($table));
@@ -375,7 +387,8 @@ protected function buildAliasedTableName(string $table, array $statements): stri
      */
     public function criteriaOnly(array $statements, $bindValues = true): array
     {
-        $sql = $bindings = [];
+        $sql = '';
+        $bindings = [];
         if (isset($statements['criteria']) === false) {
             return compact('sql', 'bindings');
         }
@@ -443,7 +456,7 @@ private function doInsert(array $statements, array $data, $type): array
             $keys[] = $key;
             if ($value instanceof Raw) {
                 $values[] = (string)$value;
-                $bindings[] = $value->getBindings();
+                $bindings = array_merge($bindings, (array)$value->getBindings());  // ✅ FIXED
             } else {
                 $values[] = '?';
                 $bindings[] = $value;
@@ -493,7 +506,7 @@ private function getUpdateStatement(array $data): array
 
             if ($value instanceof Raw) {
                 $statements[] = $statement . $value;
-                $bindings += $value->getBindings();
+                $bindings = array_merge($bindings, (array)$value->getBindings()); // fixed
             } else {
                 $statements[] = $statement . '?';
                 $bindings[] = $value;
@@ -807,4 +820,4 @@ public function wrapSanitizer($value)
         // Join these back with "." and return
         return implode('.', $valueArr);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/Sqlserver.php b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/Sqlserver.php
index 2d35e5e..972fbac 100644
--- a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/Sqlserver.php
+++ b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/Adapters/Sqlserver.php
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public function select(array $statements): array
                     $prefix = $statements['aliases'][$table] ?? null;
 
                     if ($prefix !== null) {
-                        $t = sprintf('%s AS %s', $table, strtolower($prefix));
+                        $t = sprintf('%s AS %s', $table, $prefix);
                     } else {
                         $t = sprintf('%s', $table);
                     }
@@ -179,4 +179,4 @@ public function wrapSanitizer($value)
         // Join these back with "." and return
         return implode('.', $valueArr);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/QueryBuilderHandler.php b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/QueryBuilderHandler.php
index 22be66a..b861ea8 100644
--- a/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/QueryBuilderHandler.php
+++ b/src/Pecee/Pixie/QueryBuilder/QueryBuilderHandler.php
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ public function alias(string $alias, ?string $table = null): self
             $table = $this->tablePrefix . $table;
         }
 
-        $this->statements['aliases'][$table] = \strtolower($alias);
+        $this->statements['aliases'][$table] = $alias;
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -1883,4 +1883,4 @@ public function close(): void
         $this->connection = null;
     }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}