diff --git a/lib/dataset-tools/augmentation/replace_parameters.ts b/lib/dataset-tools/augmentation/replace_parameters.ts
index 7f1cffdc8..01af55a74 100644
--- a/lib/dataset-tools/augmentation/replace_parameters.ts
+++ b/lib/dataset-tools/augmentation/replace_parameters.ts
@@ -689,14 +689,25 @@ export default class ParameterReplacer {
 
         let valueListKey = await this._getParamListKey(slot, arg);
         const fallbackKey = this._getFallbackParamListKey(slot);
-        if (valueListKey[0] === 'string' && valueListKey[1] !== fallbackKey &&
-            coin(this._untypedStringProbability, this._rng))
-            valueListKey = ['string', fallbackKey];
+        if (valueListKey[0] === 'string') {
+            if (valueListKey[1] === fallbackKey) {
+                const isExplicit = arg ? !!arg.getImplementationAnnotation<string>('string_values') : false;
+                if (!isExplicit) {
+                    this._warn('default-free-text:' + slot.tag + ':' + slot.type,
+                        `Using default value of ${valueListKey[0]} ${valueListKey[1]} for ${slot.tag}:${slot.type}`);
+                }
+            } else {
+                if (coin(this._untypedStringProbability, this._rng))
+                    valueListKey = ['string', fallbackKey];
+            }
+        }
 
         let valueList = await this._loader.get(valueListKey);
         if (valueList.size === 0) {
-            if (this._debug)
-                this._warn('novalue:' + slot.tag + ':' + slot.type, `Found no values for ${slot.tag}:${slot.type}, falling back to ${fallbackKey}`);
+            if (this._debug) {
+                this._warn('novalue:' + slot.tag + ':' + slot.type + ':' + valueListKey[0] + ':' + valueListKey[1],
+                    `Found no values for ${slot.tag}:${slot.type} (searching for ${valueListKey[0]} ${valueListKey[1]}), falling back to ${fallbackKey}`);
+            }
 
             valueList = await this._loader.get(['string', fallbackKey]);
             if (valueList.size === 0)
diff --git a/lib/templates/load-thingpedia.ts b/lib/templates/load-thingpedia.ts
index 941a803b8..82a08f502 100644
--- a/lib/templates/load-thingpedia.ts
+++ b/lib/templates/load-thingpedia.ts
@@ -1504,7 +1504,8 @@ export default class ThingpediaLoader {
         }
 
         for (const entity of entityTypes) {
-            entity.has_ner_support = !!(entity.type.startsWith('tt:') && entity.has_ner_support);
+            entity.has_ner_support = !!((entity.type.startsWith('tt:') || entity.type === 'org.freedesktop:app_id')
+                && entity.has_ner_support);
             this._loadEntityType(entity.type, entity);
         }
         for (const device of devices)