diff --git a/src/api/app/models/bs_request.rb b/src/api/app/models/bs_request.rb
index e14e7408bd9..3d440084b50 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/bs_request.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/bs_request.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class SaveError < APIException
   after_update :send_state_change
 
   def check_supersede_state
-    if self.state == :superseded && self.superseded_by.nil?
+    if self.state == :superseded && ( not self.superseded_by.is_a? Numeric || not self.superseded_by > 0 )
       errors.add(:superseded_by, 'Superseded_by should be set')
     end
     if self.superseded_by && self.state != :superseded