diff --git a/modules/ui/zones-editor.js b/modules/ui/zones-editor.js
index 8e4ac3e4..a38d13b2 100644
--- a/modules/ui/zones-editor.js
+++ b/modules/ui/zones-editor.js
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ function editZones() {
 
   function changePopulation(zone) {
     const dataCells = zones.select("#"+zone).attr("data-cells");
-    const cells = dataCells ? dataCells.split(",").map(i => +i).filter(i => pack.cells.pop[i]) : [];
-    if (!cells.length) {tip("Zone does not have any cells, cannot change population", false, "error"); return;}
+    const cells = dataCells ? dataCells.split(",").map(i => +i).filter(i => pack.cells.h[i] >= 20) : [];
+    if (!cells.length) {tip("Zone does not have any land cells, cannot change population", false, "error"); return;}
     const burgs = pack.burgs.filter(b => !b.removed && cells.includes(b.cell));
 
     const rural = rn(d3.sum(cells.map(i => pack.cells.pop[i])) * populationRate.value);