diff --git a/app/models/post_appeal.rb b/app/models/post_appeal.rb
index 289e5edea..84fc143aa 100644
--- a/app/models/post_appeal.rb
+++ b/app/models/post_appeal.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class PostAppeal < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :creator, :class_name => "User"
   belongs_to :post
 
-  validates :reason, presence: true, length: { in: 1..140 }
+  validates :reason, length: { maximum: 140 }
   validate :validate_post_is_appealable, on: :create
   validate :validate_creator_is_not_limited, on: :create
   validates :creator, uniqueness: { scope: :post, message: "have already appealed this post" }, on: :create
diff --git a/app/views/post_appeals/_new.html.erb b/app/views/post_appeals/_new.html.erb
index 8cee19acc..411910194 100644
--- a/app/views/post_appeals/_new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/post_appeals/_new.html.erb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
   <%= edit_form_for(post_appeal, format: :js, remote: true) do |f| %>
     <%= f.hidden_field :post_id %>
-    <%= f.input :reason, as: :dtext, inline: true %>
-    <%= dtext_preview_button "post_appeal_reason" %>
+    <%= f.input :reason, as: :dtext, inline: true, placeholder: "Optional" %>
   <% end %>
 </div>