diff --git a/graph/db/sql_migration.go b/graph/db/sql_migration.go
index b88518fd8..dc615a2ca 100644
--- a/graph/db/sql_migration.go
+++ b/graph/db/sql_migration.go
@@ -1380,8 +1380,8 @@ func insertNodeSQLMig(ctx context.Context, db SQLQueries,
 
 	if node.HaveNodeAnnouncement {
 		params.LastUpdate = sqldb.SQLInt64(node.LastUpdate.Unix())
-		params.Color = sqldb.SQLStr(EncodeHexColor(node.Color))
-		params.Alias = sqldb.SQLStr(node.Alias)
+		params.Color = sqldb.SQLStrValid(EncodeHexColor(node.Color))
+		params.Alias = sqldb.SQLStrValid(node.Alias)
 		params.Signature = node.AuthSigBytes
 	}
 
diff --git a/graph/db/sql_store.go b/graph/db/sql_store.go
index c53a0fe5c..340a72fee 100644
--- a/graph/db/sql_store.go
+++ b/graph/db/sql_store.go
@@ -3391,8 +3391,8 @@ func upsertNode(ctx context.Context, db SQLQueries,
 
 	if node.HaveNodeAnnouncement {
 		params.LastUpdate = sqldb.SQLInt64(node.LastUpdate.Unix())
-		params.Color = sqldb.SQLStr(EncodeHexColor(node.Color))
-		params.Alias = sqldb.SQLStr(node.Alias)
+		params.Color = sqldb.SQLStrValid(EncodeHexColor(node.Color))
+		params.Alias = sqldb.SQLStrValid(node.Alias)
 		params.Signature = node.AuthSigBytes
 	}
 
diff --git a/sqldb/sqlutils.go b/sqldb/sqlutils.go
index 8745fe2f7..ce99eb682 100644
--- a/sqldb/sqlutils.go
+++ b/sqldb/sqlutils.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func SQLInt64[T constraints.Integer](num T) sql.NullInt64 {
 
 // SQLStr turns a string into the NullString that sql/sqlc uses when a string
 // can be permitted to be NULL.
+//
+// NOTE: If the input string is empty, it returns a NullString with Valid set to
+// false. If this is not the desired behavior, consider using SQLStrValid
+// instead.
 func SQLStr(s string) sql.NullString {
 	if s == "" {
 		return sql.NullString{}
@@ -60,6 +64,17 @@ func SQLStr(s string) sql.NullString {
 	}
 }
 
+// SQLStrValid turns a string into the NullString that sql/sqlc uses when a
+// string can be permitted to be NULL.
+//
+// NOTE: Valid is always set to true, even if the input string is empty.
+func SQLStrValid(s string) sql.NullString {
+	return sql.NullString{
+		String: s,
+		Valid:  true,
+	}
+}
+
 // SQLTime turns a time.Time into the NullTime that sql/sqlc uses when a time
 // can be permitted to be NULL.
 func SQLTime(t time.Time) sql.NullTime {