diff --git a/models/BaseEntity.cfc b/models/BaseEntity.cfc
index c5f8736..83fb1ec 100644
--- a/models/BaseEntity.cfc
+++ b/models/BaseEntity.cfc
@@ -616,12 +616,11 @@ component accessors="true" {
 			if ( !hasAttribute( key ) ) {
 				continue;
 			}
-			variables._data[ retrieveColumnForAlias( key ) ] = (
-				!arguments.attributes.keyExists( key ) || isNull( arguments.attributes[ key ] )
-			) ? javacast( "null", "" ) : castValueForGetter( key, arguments.attributes[ key ] );
-			variables[ retrieveAliasForColumn( key ) ] = (
-				!arguments.attributes.keyExists( key ) || isNull( arguments.attributes[ key ] )
-			) ? javacast( "null", "" ) : castValueForGetter( key, arguments.attributes[ key ] );
+
+			var value = castValueForGetter( key, arguments.attributes[ key ] );
+
+			variables._data[ retrieveColumnForAlias( key ) ] = value;
+			variables[ retrieveAliasForColumn( key ) ] = value;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -3455,10 +3454,6 @@ component accessors="true" {
 			return arguments.value;
 		}
 
-		if ( !isVirtualAttribute( arguments.key ) && isNullValue( arguments.key, arguments.value ) ) {
-			return arguments.value;
-		}
-
 		var castMapping = variables._casts[ arguments.key ];
 		if ( !variables._casterCache.keyExists( arguments.key ) ) {
 			variables._casterCache[ arguments.key ] = variables._wirebox.getInstance( dsl = castMapping );