diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a64cabe9..2de4d0fb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### 🐛 Fixed
+
+- Fixes a regression on [OOE-26](https://ortussolutions.atlassian.net/browse/OOE-26) where empty string values are coerced to `NULL` when an ORM type *is* declared. Originally reported against `6.4.0`, resolved in `6.5.0`, then regressed in `6.5.1`. - Resolves [OOE-26](https://ortussolutions.atlassian.net/browse/OOE-26).
 
 ### 🔐 Security
 
diff --git a/extension/src/main/java/ortus/extension/orm/HibernateCaster.java b/extension/src/main/java/ortus/extension/orm/HibernateCaster.java
index 96e74f00..5ec998ba 100755
--- a/extension/src/main/java/ortus/extension/orm/HibernateCaster.java
+++ b/extension/src/main/java/ortus/extension/orm/HibernateCaster.java
@@ -501,10 +501,13 @@ public static Object toHibernateValue( Component entity, Property property ) thr
 		String	ormType				= CommonUtil.toString( meta.get( CommonUtil.ORMTYPE, "" ) );
 		String	fieldType			= !ormType.trim().isEmpty() ? ormType : property.getType();
 
-		boolean	isStringSafeField	= ( fieldType == null || !fieldType.trim().isEmpty() || !CFConstants.STRINGLIKE_FIELDS.contains( fieldType ) );
+		boolean	isStringSafeField	= ( ormType == null || ormType.trim().isEmpty() || CFConstants.STRINGLIKE_FIELDS.contains( ormType ) );
 
 		// If the value is an empty string, and the field type is not "string-safe", coerce to a null.
 		if ( value instanceof String && ( ( String ) value ).trim().isEmpty() && !isStringSafeField ) {
+			logger.atDebug().log(
+			    "toHibernateValue: Coercing {} property to a NULL, since the ORMtype [{}] or fieldType [{}] is not a string-safe field (one of [{}]",
+			    property.getName(), ormType, fieldType, CFConstants.STRINGLIKE_FIELDS );
 			return null;
 		}
 
diff --git a/tests/models/KitchenSink.cfc b/tests/models/KitchenSink.cfc
index 299e4ab4..5fa95833 100644
--- a/tests/models/KitchenSink.cfc
+++ b/tests/models/KitchenSink.cfc
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ component persistent="true" {
 		ormtype="timestamp"
 		default="2023-07-29T04:56";
 
+	property
+		name   ="expireDate"
+		notnull="false"
+		ormtype="timestamp"
+		default="";
+
 	this.name = "KitchenSink";
 
 }