diff --git a/lib/GADS/Datum/String.pm b/lib/GADS/Datum/String.pm
index fd23b7276..400216153 100644
--- a/lib/GADS/Datum/String.pm
+++ b/lib/GADS/Datum/String.pm
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ after set_value => sub {
                 }
             }
         }
-        if (my $maxlen = $self->column->max_length) {
+        if (defined $self->column->max_length) {
+            my $maxlen = $self->column->max_length;
             foreach my $val (@values)
             {
                 if (defined $val && defined $maxlen && length($val) > $maxlen)
diff --git a/t/006_invalid_values.t b/t/006_invalid_values.t
index b84caea32..99cede863 100644
--- a/t/006_invalid_values.t
+++ b/t/006_invalid_values.t
@@ -83,4 +83,9 @@ $string1->max_length(10);
 try { $record->fields->{$string1->id}->set_value("foobarbazquux") } hide => 'ALL';
 ok( $@, "Failed to write string value exceeding max_length" );
 
+$string1->force_regex(undef);
+$string1->max_length(0);
+try { $record->fields->{$string1->id}->set_value("a") } hide => 'ALL';
+ok( $@, "Failed to write string value exceeding max_length of 0" );
+
 done_testing();
diff --git a/views/fields/input.tt b/views/fields/input.tt
index 5112e4cb4..ad5a04ca8 100644
--- a/views/fields/input.tt
+++ b/views/fields/input.tt
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@
         disabled[% END %][% IF is_readonly %]
         readonly[% END %][% IF is_required %]
         required
-        aria-required="true"[% END %][% IF max_length.defined %]
+        [% # If using $.defined, TT still defines the value even if it's undef instead of expected behaviour
+           # we use $.size instead, as we still want to allow a max length of 0 if it's set. %]
+        aria-required="true"[% END %][% IF max_length.size %]
         data-max="[% max_length %]"[% END %]
       >
     </div>
diff --git a/views/fields/textarea.tt b/views/fields/textarea.tt
index 7acc8363f..ae99f4fa5 100644
--- a/views/fields/textarea.tt
+++ b/views/fields/textarea.tt
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@
         disabled[% END %][% IF is_readonly %]
         readonly[% END %][% IF is_required %]
         required
-        aria-required="true"[% END %][% IF max_length.defined %]
+        [% # If using $.defined, TT still defines the value even if it's undef instead of expected behaviour
+           # we use $.size instead, as we still want to allow a max length of 0 if it's set. %]
+        aria-required="true"[% END %][% IF max_length.size %]
         data-max="[% max_length %]"[% END %]
       >[% INCLUDE fields/sub/filter.tt; %]</textarea>
     </div>