diff --git a/app/Import/Object/ImportAccount.php b/app/Import/Object/ImportAccount.php
index b122aee8c0..ba9330e8f3 100644
--- a/app/Import/Object/ImportAccount.php
+++ b/app/Import/Object/ImportAccount.php
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class ImportAccount
             'name'           => $this->accountName['value'] ?? '(no name)',
             'iban'           => $this->accountIban['value'] ?? null,
             'active'         => true,
-            'virtualBalance' => null,
+            'virtualBalance' => '0',
         ];
 
         $this->account = $this->repository->store($data);
diff --git a/app/Repositories/Account/AccountRepository.php b/app/Repositories/Account/AccountRepository.php
index d7f9d48757..849ce97aac 100644
--- a/app/Repositories/Account/AccountRepository.php
+++ b/app/Repositories/Account/AccountRepository.php
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class AccountRepository implements AccountRepositoryInterface
         // update the account:
         $account->name            = $data['name'];
         $account->active          = $data['active'];
-        $account->virtual_balance = $data['virtualBalance'];
+        $account->virtual_balance = trim($data['virtualBalance']) === '' ? '0': $data['virtualBalance'];
         $account->iban            = $data['iban'];
         $account->save();
 
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class AccountRepository implements AccountRepositoryInterface
             'name'           => $name . ' initial balance',
             'active'         => false,
             'iban'           => '',
-            'virtualBalance' => 0,
+            'virtualBalance' => '0',
         ];
         Log::debug('Going to create an opening balance opposing account.');
 
diff --git a/app/Repositories/Account/FindAccountsTrait.php b/app/Repositories/Account/FindAccountsTrait.php
index 95f43af9d0..8214dd1157 100644
--- a/app/Repositories/Account/FindAccountsTrait.php
+++ b/app/Repositories/Account/FindAccountsTrait.php
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ trait FindAccountsTrait
             'accountType'    => 'reconcile',
             'name'           => $name,
             'iban'           => null,
-            'virtualBalance' => null,
+            'virtualBalance' => '0',
             'active'         => true,
         ];
         $account = $this->storeAccount($data);