diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20231025-223003.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20231025-223003.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ebec94a30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20231025-223003.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Fixes
+body: Fix refresh syntax, config comparison with empty labels
+time: 2023-10-25T22:30:03.0034-04:00
+custom:
+  Author: mikealfare
+  Issue: "983"
diff --git a/dbt/adapters/bigquery/relation_configs/_options.py b/dbt/adapters/bigquery/relation_configs/_options.py
index 51774e3fb..72f9d73e6 100644
--- a/dbt/adapters/bigquery/relation_configs/_options.py
+++ b/dbt/adapters/bigquery/relation_configs/_options.py
@@ -138,8 +138,12 @@ def parse_bq_table(cls, table: BigQueryTable) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             "expiration_timestamp": table.expires,
             "max_staleness": None,
             "description": table.description,
-            "labels": table.labels,
         }
+
+        # map the empty dict to None
+        if labels := table.labels:
+            config_dict.update({"labels": labels})
+
         if encryption_configuration := table.encryption_configuration:
             config_dict.update({"kms_key_name": encryption_configuration.kms_key_name})
         return config_dict
diff --git a/dbt/include/bigquery/macros/relations/materialized_view/refresh.sql b/dbt/include/bigquery/macros/relations/materialized_view/refresh.sql
index 82bf819cd..40ad59f7b 100644
--- a/dbt/include/bigquery/macros/relations/materialized_view/refresh.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/bigquery/macros/relations/materialized_view/refresh.sql
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {% macro bigquery__refresh_materialized_view(relation) %}
-    call bq.refresh_materialized_view('{{ relation }}')
+    call bq.refresh_materialized_view('{{ relation.database }}.{{ relation.schema }}.{{ relation.identifier }}')
 {% endmacro %}