diff --git a/common.php b/common.php
index 0f675753..66489235 100644
--- a/common.php
+++ b/common.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ if (version_compare(phpversion(), '8.1', '<')) die('PHP version 8.1 or higher is
 
 const MYAAC = true;
 const MYAAC_VERSION = '1.0.1';
-const DATABASE_VERSION = 42;
+const DATABASE_VERSION = 43;
 const TABLE_PREFIX = 'myaac_';
 define('START_TIME', microtime(true));
 define('MYAAC_OS', stripos(PHP_OS, 'WIN') === 0 ? 'WINDOWS' : (strtoupper(PHP_OS) === 'DARWIN' ? 'MAC' : 'LINUX'));
diff --git a/install/includes/schema.sql b/install/includes/schema.sql
index 91853e07..21409c00 100644
--- a/install/includes/schema.sql
+++ b/install/includes/schema.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-SET @myaac_database_version = 42;
+SET @myaac_database_version = 43;
 
 CREATE TABLE `myaac_account_actions`
 (
diff --git a/install/tools/5-database.php b/install/tools/5-database.php
index ff0bcbbb..395492ee 100644
--- a/install/tools/5-database.php
+++ b/install/tools/5-database.php
@@ -156,9 +156,14 @@ if ($db->hasTable('guilds')) {
 	}
 
 	if (!$db->hasColumn('guilds', 'description')) {
-		if (query("ALTER TABLE `guilds` ADD `description` TEXT NOT NULL;"))
+		if (query("ALTER TABLE `guilds` ADD `description` VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';"))
 			success($locale['step_database_adding_field'] . ' guilds.description...');
 	}
+	else {
+		if (query("ALTER TABLE `guilds` MODIFY `description` VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';")) {
+			success($locale['step_database_modifying_field'] . ' guilds.description...');
+		}
+	}
 
 	if ($db->hasColumn('guilds', 'logo_gfx_name')) {
 		if (query("ALTER TABLE `guilds` CHANGE `logo_gfx_name` `logo_name` VARCHAR( 255 ) NOT NULL DEFAULT 'default.gif';")) {
@@ -197,9 +202,14 @@ if ($db->hasTable('players')) {
 	}
 
 	if (!$db->hasColumn('players', 'comment')) {
-		if (query("ALTER TABLE `players` ADD `comment` TEXT NOT NULL;"))
+		if (query("ALTER TABLE `players` ADD `comment` VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';"))
 			success($locale['step_database_adding_field'] . ' players.comment...');
 	}
+	else {
+		if (query("ALTER TABLE `players` MODIFY `comment` VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';")) {
+			success($locale['step_database_modifying_field'] . ' players.comment...');
+		}
+	}
 
 	if ($db->hasColumn('players', 'rank_id')) {
 		if (query("ALTER TABLE players MODIFY `rank_id` INT(11) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0;"))
diff --git a/system/migrations/43.php b/system/migrations/43.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2601f265
--- /dev/null
+++ b/system/migrations/43.php
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * @var OTS_DB_MySQL $db
+ */
+
+// 2025-01-22
+// change columns to VARCHAR
+$up = function () use ($db) {
+	$db->query("UPDATE guilds set description = '' WHERE description is NULL;"); // prevent truncate error when column is NULL
+	$db->modifyColumn('guilds', 'description', "VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT ''");
+
+	$db->query("UPDATE players set comment = '' WHERE comment is NULL;");
+	$db->modifyColumn('players', 'comment', "VARCHAR(5000) NOT NULL DEFAULT ''");
+};
+
+$down = function () use ($db) {
+	$db->modifyColumn('guilds', 'description', "TEXT NOT NULL");
+	$db->modifyColumn('players', 'comment', "TEXT NOT NULL");
+};
+