diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Eav/Model/Attribute/Data/Text.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Eav/Model/Attribute/Data/Text.php
index 2d345b97e3f..9ec0bc91947 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Eav/Model/Attribute/Data/Text.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Eav/Model/Attribute/Data/Text.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public function validateValue($value)
             $value = $this->getEntity()->getDataUsingMethod($attribute->getAttributeCode());
         }
 
-        if ($attribute->getIsRequired() && strlen((string) $value) === 0) {
+        if ($attribute->getIsRequired() && (string) $value === '') {
             $errors[] = Mage::helper('eav')->__('"%s" is a required value.', $label);
         }