diff --git a/app/models/application_qualification.rb b/app/models/application_qualification.rb
index 69e207a2ab1..540cacf71b3 100644
--- a/app/models/application_qualification.rb
+++ b/app/models/application_qualification.rb
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class ApplicationQualification < ApplicationRecord
 
   validates :qualification_type, length: { maximum: MAX_QUALIFICATION_TYPE_LENGTH }, allow_blank: true
   validates :non_uk_qualification_type, length: { maximum: MAX_QUALIFICATION_TYPE_LENGTH }, allow_blank: true
+  validates :enic_reason, presence: true, on: :create
 
   enum enic_reason: {
     obtained: 'obtained',
diff --git a/spec/factories/application_qualification.rb b/spec/factories/application_qualification.rb
index 46fcc6aa74f..11c8b5132ef 100644
--- a/spec/factories/application_qualification.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/application_qualification.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
     institution_country { international? ? Faker::Address.country_code : 'GB' }
     equivalency_details { Faker::Lorem.paragraph_by_chars(number: 200) }
 
+    trait :skip_validate do
+      to_create { |instance| instance.save(validate: false) }
+    end
+
     factory :gcse_qualification do
       level { 'gcse' }
       qualification_type { 'gcse' }
diff --git a/spec/forms/candidate_interface/maths_gcse_grade_form_spec.rb b/spec/forms/candidate_interface/maths_gcse_grade_form_spec.rb
index 8b77603f891..38d8f5d3a3e 100644
--- a/spec/forms/candidate_interface/maths_gcse_grade_form_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/forms/candidate_interface/maths_gcse_grade_form_spec.rb
@@ -121,6 +121,15 @@
 
         expect(gcse.reload.grade).to eq('D')
       end
+
+      it 'does not raise validation error for enic_reason being nil' do
+        gcse = create(:gcse_qualification, :skip_validate, enic_reason: nil, enic_reference: nil)
+        form = described_class.new(grade: 'other', other_grade: 'D', qualification_type: 'non_uk')
+
+        form.save(gcse)
+
+        expect(gcse.reload.enic_reason).to be_nil
+      end
     end
 
     describe '.build_from_qualification' do