diff --git a/app/models/artist_commentary.rb b/app/models/artist_commentary.rb
index 783a5d757..8d980208f 100644
--- a/app/models/artist_commentary.rb
+++ b/app/models/artist_commentary.rb
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ class ArtistCommentary < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   def trim_whitespace
-    self.original_title = original_title.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
-    self.translated_title = translated_title.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
-    self.original_description = original_description.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
-    self.translated_description = translated_description.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
+    self.original_title = original_title.to_s.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
+    self.translated_title = translated_title.to_s.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
+    self.original_description = original_description.to_s.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
+    self.translated_description = translated_description.to_s.gsub(/\A[[:space:]]+|[[:space:]]+\z/, "")
   end
 
   def original_present?
diff --git a/test/functional/posts_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/posts_controller_test.rb
index aaa43788d..a4eeae803 100644
--- a/test/functional/posts_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/posts_controller_test.rb
@@ -760,6 +760,21 @@ class PostsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
         assert_equal("translated desc", @post.artist_commentary.translated_description)
       end
 
+      should "create a commentary record if a single commentary field is present" do
+        assert_difference("ArtistCommentary.count", 1) do
+          @post = create_post!(
+            user: @user,
+            artist_commentary_title: "title",
+          )
+        end
+
+        assert_equal(true, @post.artist_commentary.present?)
+        assert_equal("title", @post.artist_commentary.original_title)
+        assert_equal("", @post.artist_commentary.original_description)
+        assert_equal("", @post.artist_commentary.translated_title)
+        assert_equal("", @post.artist_commentary.translated_description)
+      end
+
       should "not create a commentary record if the commentary is blank" do
         assert_no_difference("ArtistCommentary.count") do
           @post = create_post!(