diff --git a/models/database.py b/models/database.py
index 61a441de7ac76c12355057554a6c47293deec0e5..3be103fdf8e6510f3e43585385e3ab4c9b16b817 100644
--- a/models/database.py
+++ b/models/database.py
@@ -167,9 +167,9 @@ class Speaker(db.Model):
         )
 
     def identifier(self):
-        if self.number == 0:
+        if self.number == None:
             return self.name
-        elif self.name == "":
+        elif self.name == None:
             return self.number
         else:
             return "{} ({})".format(self.name, self.number)
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 43b5cbfe211b1ac08506d4ff2d936eee35a80f67..c8485dfb0c6e4284c9e98556fa6fe4853603c306 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def speaker_by_name_or_number(name_or_number, event_id):
         if speaker is not None:
             return speaker
         else:
-            speaker = Speaker("", number, event_id)
+            speaker = Speaker(None, number, event_id)
             db.session.add(speaker)
             db.session.commit()
             return speaker
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def speaker_by_name_or_number(name_or_number, event_id):
         if speaker is not None:
             return speaker
         else:
-            speaker = Speaker(name, 0, event_id)
+            speaker = Speaker(name, None, event_id)
             db.session.add(speaker)
             db.session.commit()
             return speaker