diff --git a/app/validators/emoji_only_validator.rb b/app/validators/emoji_only_validator.rb
index fb4ab4d0d..8db34cdb5 100644
--- a/app/validators/emoji_only_validator.rb
+++ b/app/validators/emoji_only_validator.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ class EmojiOnlyValidator < ActiveModel::EachValidator
   DEFAULT_MESSAGE = "contains non-emoji characters or invalid emoji".freeze
 
   def validate_each(record, attribute, value)
+    return unless value 
     return if value.gsub(EmojiRegex::RGIEmoji, "").blank?
 
     record.errors.add(attribute, options[:message] || DEFAULT_MESSAGE)
diff --git a/spec/validators/emoji_only_validator_spec.rb b/spec/validators/emoji_only_validator_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..413d837cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/validators/emoji_only_validator_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+require "rails_helper"
+
+RSpec.describe EmojiOnlyValidator do
+  subject(:record) { validatable.new.tap { |m| m.name = name } }
+
+  let(:validatable) do
+    Class.new do
+      def self.name
+        "👍"
+      end
+      include ActiveModel::Validations
+      attr_accessor :name
+
+      def initialize
+        @enforce_validation = true
+      end
+
+      attr_accessor :enforce_validation
+      alias_method :enforce_validation?, :enforce_validation
+
+      validates :name, emoji_only: true, if: :enforce_validation?
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "when if option is false" do
+    let(:name) { "not-an-emoji" }
+
+    before { record.enforce_validation = false }
+
+    it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+  end
+
+  context "when name includes non-emoji" do
+    let(:name) { "not-an-emoji" }
+
+    it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+  end
+
+  context "when name is an emoji" do
+    let(:name) { "🍀" }
+
+    it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+  end
+
+  context "when name is nil" do
+    let(:name) { nil }
+
+    it "does not raise no method error" do
+      expect { record.valid? }.not_to raise_error
+    end
+
+    it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+  end
+
+  context "when name is empty" do
+    let(:name) { "" }
+
+    it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+  end
+end