diff --git a/lib/db/mysql.php b/lib/db/mysql.php
index 093edbeef43..e582eafcff8 100644
--- a/lib/db/mysql.php
+++ b/lib/db/mysql.php
@@ -1650,7 +1650,7 @@ function main_upgrade($oldversion=0) {
     }
 
     if ($oldversion < 2005101200) { # add enrolment key to course_request.
-        table_column('course_request','','password','text');
+        table_column('course_request','','password','varchar',50);
     }
 
     return $result;
diff --git a/lib/db/mysql.sql b/lib/db/mysql.sql
index bda455c3375..0e86036fbd6 100644
--- a/lib/db/mysql.sql
+++ b/lib/db/mysql.sql
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ CREATE TABLE `prefix_course_request`  (
   `summary` text NOT NULL,
   `reason` text NOT NULL,
   `requester` int(10) NOT NULL default 0,
-  `password` text NOT NULL default '',
+  `password` varchar(50) NOT NULL default '',
   PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
   KEY `shortname` (`shortname`)
 ) TYPE=MyISAM;