diff --git a/app/controllers/placements_controller.rb b/app/controllers/placements_controller.rb
index c6c47f35..dea89dfa 100644
--- a/app/controllers/placements_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/placements_controller.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def create_or_update(back_action)
       :incertae_sedis, :incertae_sedis_text,
       :parent, :preferred, :publication
     )
-    @placement.incertae_sedis = par[:incertae_sedis]
+    @placement.incertae_sedis = par[:incertae_sedis].presence
     @placement.incertae_sedis_text = par[:incertae_sedis_text]
     if @name.placement
       @placement.preferred = par[:preferred] if current_user.curator?
diff --git a/app/models/name.rb b/app/models/name.rb
index 93f39c1e..cd84c60f 100644
--- a/app/models/name.rb
+++ b/app/models/name.rb
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class Name < ApplicationRecord
       message: 'can only contain letters, dashes, dots, and apostrophe'
     }
   )
+  validates(:incertae_sedis, presence: true, allow_nil: true)
   validates(
     :incertae_sedis, absence: {
       if: :parent,
diff --git a/app/models/placement.rb b/app/models/placement.rb
index bcd0b471..8856977d 100644
--- a/app/models/placement.rb
+++ b/app/models/placement.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class Placement < ApplicationRecord
 
   has_rich_text(:incertae_sedis_text)
   validates(:incertae_sedis_text, presence: true, if: :incertae_sedis?)
+  validates(:incertae_sedis, presence: true, allow_nil: true)
   validates(
     :incertae_sedis, absence: {
       if: :parent,