diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php b/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
index bab8fe82c..75e63dbbb 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Validator.php
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public function validateRecord(Doctrine_Record $record)
      */
     public static function validateLength($value, $type, $maximumLength)
     {
-        if ($maximumLength === null ) {
+        if ($maximumLength === null || $value === null) {
             return true;
         }
         if ($type == 'timestamp' || $type == 'integer' || $type == 'enum') {