diff --git a/backend/alembic/versions/2023_01_10_1733-846cc08ac79f_add_enabled_deleted_notes_fields_to_user.py b/backend/alembic/versions/2023_01_10_1733-846cc08ac79f_add_enabled_deleted_notes_fields_to_user.py
index 79e444a7..a6895f3a 100644
--- a/backend/alembic/versions/2023_01_10_1733-846cc08ac79f_add_enabled_deleted_notes_fields_to_user.py
+++ b/backend/alembic/versions/2023_01_10_1733-846cc08ac79f_add_enabled_deleted_notes_fields_to_user.py
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ def upgrade() -> None:
     # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
     op.add_column("user", sa.Column("enabled", sa.Boolean(), server_default=sa.text("true"), nullable=False))
     op.add_column("user", sa.Column("deleted", sa.Boolean(), server_default=sa.text("false"), nullable=False))
-    op.add_column("user", sa.Column("notes", sqlmodel.sql.sqltypes.AutoString(length=1024), nullable=False))
+    op.add_column(
+        "user",
+        sa.Column("notes", sqlmodel.sql.sqltypes.AutoString(length=1024), server_default=sa.text("''"), nullable=False),
+    )
     # ### end Alembic commands ###
 
 
diff --git a/backend/oasst_backend/models/user.py b/backend/oasst_backend/models/user.py
index f2dd76b9..98cca465 100644
--- a/backend/oasst_backend/models/user.py
+++ b/backend/oasst_backend/models/user.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from uuid import UUID, uuid4
 
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql as pg
-from sqlmodel import Field, Index, SQLModel
+from sqlmodel import AutoString, Field, Index, SQLModel
 
 
 class User(SQLModel, table=True):
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ class User(SQLModel, table=True):
     )
     api_client_id: UUID = Field(foreign_key="api_client.id")
     enabled: bool = Field(sa_column=sa.Column(sa.Boolean, nullable=False, server_default=sa.true()))
-    notes: str = Field(nullable=False, max_length=1024, default="")
+    notes: str = Field(sa_column=sa.Column(AutoString(length=1024), nullable=False, server_default="''"))
     deleted: bool = Field(sa_column=sa.Column(sa.Boolean, nullable=False, server_default=sa.false()))