diff --git a/lib/music_library/notes/note.ex b/lib/music_library/notes/note.ex
index 7028b29e..45e96dd1 100644
--- a/lib/music_library/notes/note.ex
+++ b/lib/music_library/notes/note.ex
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ defmodule MusicLibrary.Notes.Note do
   @primary_key {:id, :binary_id, autogenerate: true}
   schema "notes" do
     field :entity, Ecto.Enum, values: [:record, :artist]
-    field :content, :string
+    field :content, :string, default: ""
     field :musicbrainz_id, Ecto.UUID
 
     timestamps(type: :utc_datetime)
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ defmodule MusicLibrary.Notes.Note do
       :content,
       :musicbrainz_id
     ])
-    |> validate_required([:entity, :content, :musicbrainz_id])
+    |> validate_required([:entity, :musicbrainz_id])
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/music_library_web/components/notes_component.ex b/lib/music_library_web/components/notes_component.ex
index 510a405f..1ee636a0 100644
--- a/lib/music_library_web/components/notes_component.ex
+++ b/lib/music_library_web/components/notes_component.ex
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ defmodule MusicLibraryWeb.NotesComponent do
   defp find_or_initialize_note(%{entity: entity, musicbrainz_id: musicbrainz_id}) do
     case Notes.get_note(entity, musicbrainz_id) do
       nil ->
-        %Note{entity: entity, musicbrainz_id: musicbrainz_id, content: ""}
+        %Note{entity: entity, musicbrainz_id: musicbrainz_id}
 
       note ->
         note
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ defmodule MusicLibraryWeb.NotesComponent do
           </.tabs_list>
           <.tabs_panel active={@mode == "read"} name="read">
             <article class="w-full mt-5 prose dark:prose-invert prose-zinc prose-sm prose-h1:text-sm">
-              {render_notes(@form[:content].value)}
+              {render_content(@form[:content].value)}
             </article>
           </.tabs_panel>
           <.tabs_panel active={@mode == "edit"} name="edit">
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ defmodule MusicLibraryWeb.NotesComponent do
     end
   end
 
-  defp render_notes(notes) do
-    (notes || "")
+  defp render_content(content) do
+    content
     |> Markdown.to_html()
     |> raw()
   end