diff --git a/customfield/classes/handler.php b/customfield/classes/handler.php
index f2c28aaed71..2d81404bb1c 100644
--- a/customfield/classes/handler.php
+++ b/customfield/classes/handler.php
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ abstract class handler {
             }
             $data->instance_form_definition($mform);
             $field = $data->get_field()->to_record();
-            if (strlen($field->description)) {
+            if (strlen((string)$field->description)) {
                 // Add field description.
                 $context = $this->get_configuration_context();
                 $value = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($field->description, 'pluginfile.php',
diff --git a/customfield/field/text/tests/plugin_test.php b/customfield/field/text/tests/plugin_test.php
index 9898aee15af..dc686ad0f86 100644
--- a/customfield/field/text/tests/plugin_test.php
+++ b/customfield/field/text/tests/plugin_test.php
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class plugin_test extends \advanced_testcase {
 
         $this->cfields[1] = $this->get_generator()->create_field(
             ['categoryid' => $this->cfcat->get('id'), 'shortname' => 'myfield1', 'type' => 'text',
-                'configdata' => ['maxlength' => 30, 'displaysize' => 50]]);
+                'configdata' => ['maxlength' => 30, 'displaysize' => 50], 'description' => null]);
         $this->cfields[2] = $this->get_generator()->create_field(
             ['categoryid' => $this->cfcat->get('id'), 'shortname' => 'myfield2', 'type' => 'text',
                 'configdata' => ['required' => 1, 'maxlength' => 30, 'displaysize' => 50]]);
diff --git a/customfield/tests/generator/lib.php b/customfield/tests/generator/lib.php
index 06cfe479f97..35815a9e053 100644
--- a/customfield/tests/generator/lib.php
+++ b/customfield/tests/generator/lib.php
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class core_customfield_generator extends component_generator_base {
         if (!isset($record->shortname)) {
             $record->shortname = "fld$i";
         }
-        if (!isset($record->description)) {
+        if (!property_exists($record, 'description')) {
             $record->description = "Field $i description";
         }
         if (!isset($record->descriptionformat)) {