diff --git a/backend/data_loader.py b/backend/data_loader.py
index 7f039d8..e3aec2f 100644
--- a/backend/data_loader.py
+++ b/backend/data_loader.py
@@ -339,7 +339,11 @@ _GIAS_CODE_COLUMN_NAMES = (
     "admissions_policy_code",
 )
 
-_MISSING_COLUMN_RE = re.compile(r'column "?(?:s\.)?(\w+)"? does not exist')
+# Strip any single table alias prefix (s., l., p., foi., …) — Postgres reports
+# an undefined *qualified* column unquoted as "column l.county does not exist",
+# so matching only the s. alias would miss dim_location columns (county,
+# parliamentary_constituency) and defeat the graceful-degradation fallback.
+_MISSING_COLUMN_RE = re.compile(r'column "?(?:\w+\.)?(\w+)"? does not exist')
 
 
 def _missing_column_name(exc: Exception) -> Optional[str]:
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_gias_translation.py b/backend/tests/test_gias_translation.py
index 414b8e4..9b57a10 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_gias_translation.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_gias_translation.py
@@ -73,6 +73,24 @@ def test_missing_column_name_table_prefixed():
     )
 
 
+def test_missing_column_name_location_alias_prefixed():
+    # dim_location columns are selected via the `l.` alias; Postgres reports a
+    # missing qualified column unquoted (e.g. "column l.county does not exist").
+    # The matcher must strip any alias, not just `s.`, or the county /
+    # parliamentary_constituency fallback never triggers and the whole data
+    # load degrades to an empty DataFrame (zero schools) instead of NULLs.
+    assert (
+        _missing_column_name(_fake_exc("column l.county does not exist"))
+        == "county"
+    )
+    assert (
+        _missing_column_name(
+            _fake_exc("column l.parliamentary_constituency does not exist")
+        )
+        == "parliamentary_constituency"
+    )
+
+
 def test_missing_column_name_no_match_returns_none():
     assert _missing_column_name(_fake_exc("relation \"marts.dim_school\" does not exist")) is None