diff --git a/mapchete/geometry/repair.py b/mapchete/geometry/repair.py
index 7d1291aa..3e8ba48e 100644
--- a/mapchete/geometry/repair.py
+++ b/mapchete/geometry/repair.py
@@ -4,16 +4,18 @@
 from mapchete.geometry.types import Geometry, MultiPolygon, Polygon
 
 
-def repair(geometry: Geometry) -> Geometry:
-    repaired = (
-        geometry.buffer(0)
-        if isinstance(geometry, (Polygon, MultiPolygon))
-        else geometry
-    )
-    if repaired.is_valid:
-        return repaired
+def repair(geometry: Geometry, normalize: bool = True) -> Geometry:
+    if isinstance(geometry, (Polygon, MultiPolygon)):
+        out = geometry.buffer(0)
+    else:
+        out = geometry
+
+    if normalize:
+        out = out.normalize()
+
+    if out.is_valid:
+        return out
     else:
         raise TopologicalError(
-            "geometry is invalid (%s) and cannot be repaired"
-            % explain_validity(repaired)
+            f"geometry is invalid ({explain_validity(out)}) and cannot be repaired"
         )
diff --git a/mapchete/geometry/reproject.py b/mapchete/geometry/reproject.py
index 6665564f..9dba36a2 100644
--- a/mapchete/geometry/reproject.py
+++ b/mapchete/geometry/reproject.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 import fiona
 import pyproj
+from pyproj.exceptions import CRSError
 from fiona.transform import transform_geom
 from rasterio.crs import CRS
 from shapely.geometry import mapping, shape
@@ -29,11 +30,11 @@
 
 CRS_BOUNDS = {
     # http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/wgs-84/
-    CRS.from_epsg(4326): Bounds(-180.0, -90.0, 180.0, 90.0),
+    CRS.from_epsg(4326): Bounds(-180.0, -90.0, 180.0, 90.0, crs=LATLON_CRS),
     # unknown source
-    CRS.from_epsg(3857): Bounds(-180.0, -85.0511, 180.0, 85.0511),
+    CRS.from_epsg(3857): Bounds(-180.0, -85.0511, 180.0, 85.0511, crs=LATLON_CRS),
     # http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/3035/
-    CRS.from_epsg(3035): Bounds(-10.6700, 34.5000, 31.5500, 71.0500),
+    CRS.from_epsg(3035): Bounds(-10.6700, 34.5000, 31.5500, 71.0500, crs=LATLON_CRS),
 }
 
 
@@ -42,15 +43,26 @@ def get_crs_bounds(crs: CRS) -> Bounds:
         # get bounds from known CRSes
         return CRS_BOUNDS[crs]
     except KeyError:
+        logger.debug("try to determine CRS bounds using pyproj ...")
         # try to get bounds using pyproj
-        area_of_use = pyproj.CRS(crs.to_epsg()).area_of_use
-        if area_of_use:
-            return Bounds.from_inp(area_of_use.bounds)
+        try:
+            # on UTM CRS, the area_of_use is None if pyproj.CRS is initialized with CRS.to_proj4(), thus
+            # prefer using CRS.to_epsg() and only use CRS.to_proj4() as backup
+            pyproj_crs = (
+                pyproj.CRS(crs.to_epsg())
+                if crs.is_epsg_code
+                else pyproj.CRS(crs.to_proj4())
+            )
+            if pyproj_crs.area_of_use:
+                return Bounds.from_inp(pyproj_crs.area_of_use.bounds, crs=LATLON_CRS)
+        except CRSError as exc:
+            logger.debug(exc)
+            pass
     raise ValueError(f"bounds of CRS {crs} could not be determined")
 
 
 def crs_is_epsg_4326(crs: CRS) -> bool:
-    return crs.is_epsg_code and crs.get("init") == "epsg:4326"
+    return crs == LATLON_CRS
 
 
 def reproject_geometry(