diff --git a/src/apify/_configuration.py b/src/apify/_configuration.py
index 005b8e28..b88f9ae5 100644
--- a/src/apify/_configuration.py
+++ b/src/apify/_configuration.py
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ class Configuration(CrawleeConfiguration):
             alias='actor_max_paid_dataset_items',
             description='For paid-per-result Actors, the user-set limit on returned results. Do not exceed this limit',
         ),
-        BeforeValidator(lambda val: val or None),
+        BeforeValidator(lambda val: val if val != '' else None),
     ] = None
 
     max_total_charge_usd: Annotated[
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ class Configuration(CrawleeConfiguration):
             alias='actor_max_total_charge_usd',
             description='For pay-per-event Actors, the user-set limit on total charges. Do not exceed this limit',
         ),
-        BeforeValidator(lambda val: val or None),
+        BeforeValidator(lambda val: val if val != '' else None),
     ] = None
 
     test_pay_per_event: Annotated[
diff --git a/tests/unit/actor/test_configuration.py b/tests/unit/actor/test_configuration.py
index 5199a07b..1448ecca 100644
--- a/tests/unit/actor/test_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/unit/actor/test_configuration.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import json
+from decimal import Decimal
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -275,6 +276,34 @@ def test_default_values() -> None:
     assert config.test_pay_per_event is False
 
 
+def test_max_paid_dataset_items_zero_is_preserved(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """Test that max_paid_dataset_items=0 is not treated as falsy and converted to None."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv('ACTOR_MAX_PAID_DATASET_ITEMS', '0')
+    config = ApifyConfiguration()
+    assert config.max_paid_dataset_items == 0
+
+
+def test_max_total_charge_usd_zero_is_preserved(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """Test that max_total_charge_usd=0 is not treated as falsy and converted to None."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv('ACTOR_MAX_TOTAL_CHARGE_USD', '0')
+    config = ApifyConfiguration()
+    assert config.max_total_charge_usd == Decimal(0)
+
+
+def test_max_paid_dataset_items_empty_string_becomes_none(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """Test that an empty env var for max_paid_dataset_items is converted to None."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv('ACTOR_MAX_PAID_DATASET_ITEMS', '')
+    config = ApifyConfiguration()
+    assert config.max_paid_dataset_items is None
+
+
+def test_max_total_charge_usd_empty_string_becomes_none(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """Test that an empty env var for max_total_charge_usd is converted to None."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv('ACTOR_MAX_TOTAL_CHARGE_USD', '')
+    config = ApifyConfiguration()
+    assert config.max_total_charge_usd is None
+
+
 def test_max_total_charge_usd_decimal_parsing(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     """Test that max_total_charge_usd is parsed as Decimal from env var."""
     from decimal import Decimal