diff --git a/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Services/CreateContactImportantDate.php b/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Services/CreateContactImportantDate.php
index 93cb65af7b2..efc5470d994 100644
--- a/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Services/CreateContactImportantDate.php
+++ b/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Services/CreateContactImportantDate.php
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ private function validate(): void
         $this->validateRules($this->data);
 
         // make sure the vault matches
-        if ($this->valueOrNull($this->data, 'contact_important_date_type_id')) {
+        if (! is_null($this->valueOrNull($this->data, 'contact_important_date_type_id'))) {
             ContactImportantDateType::where('vault_id', $this->data['vault_id'])
                 ->findOrFail($this->data['contact_important_date_type_id']);
         }
diff --git a/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Web/Controllers/ContactImportantDatesController.php b/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Web/Controllers/ContactImportantDatesController.php
index 58b1bf253e1..911f35b4c2d 100644
--- a/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Web/Controllers/ContactImportantDatesController.php
+++ b/domains/Contact/ManageContactImportantDates/Web/Controllers/ContactImportantDatesController.php
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public function store(Request $request, int $vaultId, int $contactId)
             'author_id' => Auth::user()->id,
             'vault_id' => $vaultId,
             'contact_id' => $contactId,
-            'contact_important_date_type_id' => $request->input('contact_important_date_type_id'),
+            'contact_important_date_type_id' => $request->input('contact_important_date_type_id') == 0 ? null : $request->input('contact_important_date_type_id'),
             'label' => $request->input('label'),
             'day' => $day,
             'month' => $month,