diff --git a/lib/goo/sparql/mixins/solution_lang_filter.rb b/lib/goo/sparql/mixins/solution_lang_filter.rb
index 80236efee..c1390b9b5 100644
--- a/lib/goo/sparql/mixins/solution_lang_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/goo/sparql/mixins/solution_lang_filter.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def set_value(model, predicate, value, &block)
           end
 
           if requested_lang.eql?(:ALL) || requested_lang.is_a?(Array)
-            language = "@none" if no_lang?(language)
+            language = :none if no_lang?(language)
             store_objects_by_lang(model.id, predicate, value, language)
           end
         end
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ def model_group_by_lang(model)
         def group_by_lang(values)
           return values.to_a if values.all?{|x| x.is_a?(RDF::URI) || !x.respond_to?(:language) }
 
-          values = values.group_by { |x| x.respond_to?(:language) && x.language ? x.language.to_s.downcase.to_sym : "@none" }
+          values = values.group_by { |x| x.respond_to?(:language) && x.language ? x.language.to_s.downcase.to_sym : :none }
 
-          no_lang = values["@none"] || []
+          no_lang = values[:none] || []
           return no_lang if !no_lang.empty? && no_lang.all? { |x| x.respond_to?(:plain?) && !x.plain? }
 
           values
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def literal?(object)
 
         def store_objects_by_lang(id, predicate, object, language)
           # store objects in this format: [id][predicate][language] = [objects]
-          return if requested_lang.is_a?(Array) && !requested_lang.include?(language.upcase) && !language.eql?('@none')
+          return if requested_lang.is_a?(Array) && !requested_lang.include?(language.upcase) && !language.eql?(:none)
 
           language_key = language.downcase
 
diff --git a/test/test_languages_filters.rb b/test/test_languages_filters.rb
index a1cc1fd29..35a42c032 100644
--- a/test/test_languages_filters.rb
+++ b/test/test_languages_filters.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def test_one_language
   def test_multiple_languages
     # select all languages
     RequestStore.store[:requested_lang] = :all
-    expected_result = {:en=>["John Doe"], :fr=>["Jean Dupont"], "@none"=>["Juan Pérez"]}
+    expected_result = {:en=>["John Doe"], :fr=>["Jean Dupont"], :none=>["Juan Pérez"]}
     person = ExamplePerson.find(@@person_id).in(@@db).include(:label).first
     assert_equal expected_result.values.flatten.sort, person.label.sort
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def test_map_attribute_with_languages
     assert_equal ["Jean Dupont", "Juan Pérez"].sort, person.label.sort
 
 
-    expected_result = {:en=>["John Doe"], :fr=>["Jean Dupont"], "@none"=>["Juan Pérez"]}
+    expected_result = {:en=>["John Doe"], :fr=>["Jean Dupont"], :none=>["Juan Pérez"]}
     RequestStore.store[:requested_lang] = [:en, :fr]
     person = ExamplePerson.find(@@person_id).in(@@db).include(:unmapped).first
     ExamplePerson.map_attributes(person)