diff --git a/client/src/pages/reports/EngagementDateFormPartial.js b/client/src/pages/reports/EngagementDateFormPartial.js
index 3fab56c790..0bf5f5993f 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/reports/EngagementDateFormPartial.js
+++ b/client/src/pages/reports/EngagementDateFormPartial.js
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ const EngagementDatePartialFormWithDuration = ({
           onWheelCapture={event => event.currentTarget.blur()} // Prevent scroll action on number input
           onChange={event => {
             const safeVal =
-              utils.preventNegativeAndLongDigits(event.target.value, 4) || null
+              utils.preventNonPositiveAndLongDigits(event.target.value, 4) ||
+              null
             setFieldTouched("duration", true, false)
             setFieldValue("duration", safeVal, false)
             validateFieldDebounced("duration")
diff --git a/client/src/utils.js b/client/src/utils.js
index 825dd60317..816423f9cd 100644
--- a/client/src/utils.js
+++ b/client/src/utils.js
@@ -199,11 +199,11 @@ export default {
     )
   },
 
-  preventNegativeAndLongDigits: function(valueStr, maxLen) {
+  preventNonPositiveAndLongDigits: function(valueStr, maxLen) {
     let safeVal
     const dangerVal = Number(valueStr)
-    if (!isNaN(dangerVal) && dangerVal < 0) {
-      safeVal = "0"
+    if (!isNaN(dangerVal) && dangerVal <= 0) {
+      safeVal = null
     } else {
       const nonDigitsRemoved = valueStr.replace(/\D/g, "")
       safeVal =
diff --git a/client/tests/webdriver/customFieldsSpecs/createReport.spec.js b/client/tests/webdriver/customFieldsSpecs/createReport.spec.js
index 38e19ca37c..48301ad5cf 100644
--- a/client/tests/webdriver/customFieldsSpecs/createReport.spec.js
+++ b/client/tests/webdriver/customFieldsSpecs/createReport.spec.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const INVALID_ENGAGEMENT_DURATION_1 = "123456"
 const INVALID_ENGAGEMENT_DURATION_2 = "-1"
 // positive sliced at 4th digit, negative should turn into 0
 const VALID_ENGAGEMENT_DURATION_1 = "1234"
-const VALID_ENGAGEMENT_DURATION_2 = "0"
+const VALID_ENGAGEMENT_DURATION_2 = ""
 
 const PERSON = "EF 2.1"
 const PERSON_VALUE_1 = "HENDERSON, Henry"