diff --git a/bootstrap-types.php b/bootstrap-types.php
index 3d32870373..73d9a58e15 100644
--- a/bootstrap-types.php
+++ b/bootstrap-types.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public function convertToDatabaseValue($value, AbstractPlatform $platform): ?str
         return (string) round((float) $value, 4);
     }
 
-    public function convertToPHPValue($value, AbstractPlatform $platform): float
+    public function convertToPHPValue($value, AbstractPlatform $platform): ?float
     {
         $v = $this->convertToDatabaseValue($value, $platform);
 
diff --git a/src/Field.php b/src/Field.php
index 7931db679c..7968575b8e 100644
--- a/src/Field.php
+++ b/src/Field.php
@@ -93,68 +93,96 @@ public function normalize($value)
                 return $value;
             }
 
-            if ($value === null) {
-                if ($this->required/* known bug, see https://github.com/atk4/data/issues/575, fix in https://github.com/atk4/data/issues/576 || $this->mandatory*/) {
-                    throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be null'], $this->getOwner());
+            if (is_string($value)) {
+                switch ($this->type) {
+                    case null:
+                    case 'string':
+                        $value = trim(str_replace(["\r", "\n"], '', $value)); // remove all line-ends and trim
+
+                        break;
+                    case 'text':
+                        $value = trim(str_replace(["\r\n", "\r"], "\n", $value)); // normalize line-ends to LF and trim
+
+                        break;
+                    case 'integer':
+                        $value = preg_replace('/\s+|[,`\']/', '', $value);
+
+                        break;
+                    case 'float':
+                    case 'atk4_money':
+                        $value = preg_replace('/\s+|[,`\'](?=.*\.)/', '', $value);
+
+                        break;
                 }
 
-                return null;
+                switch ($this->type) {
+                    case 'integer':
+                    case 'float':
+                    case 'atk4_money':
+                        if ($value === '') {
+                            $value = null;
+                        } elseif (!is_numeric($value)) {
+                            throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must be numeric'], $this->getOwner());
+                        }
+
+                        break;
+                }
+            } elseif ($value !== null) {
+                switch ($this->type) {
+                    case null:
+                    case 'string':
+                    case 'text':
+                    case 'integer':
+                    case 'float':
+                    case 'atk4_money':
+                        if (is_scalar($value)) {
+                            $value = (string) $value;
+                        } else {
+                            throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must be scalar'], $this->getOwner());
+                        }
+
+                        break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // normalize using persistence typecasting
+            $persistence = $this->getOwner()->persistence
+                ?? new class() extends Persistence {
+                    public function __construct()
+                    {
+                    }
+                };
+            try {
+                $value = $persistence->typecastSaveField($this, $value);
+                $value = $persistence->typecastLoadField($this, $value);
+            } catch (\Exception $e) {
+                throw new ValidationException([$this->name => $e->getMessage()], $this->getOwner());
             }
 
-            // only string type fields can use empty string as legit value, for all
-            // other field types empty value is the same as no-value, nothing or null
-            if ($this->type && $this->type !== 'string' && $value === '') {
-                if ($this->required && empty($value)) {
-                    throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be empty'], $this->getOwner());
+            if ($value === null) {
+                if ($this->required/* known bug, see https://github.com/atk4/data/issues/575, fix in https://github.com/atk4/data/issues/576 || $this->mandatory*/) {
+                    throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be null'], $this->getOwner());
                 }
 
                 return null;
             }
 
-            // validate scalar values
-            if (in_array($this->type, [null, 'string', 'text', 'integer', 'float', 'atk4_money'], true)) {
-                if (!is_scalar($value)) {
-                    throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must use scalar value'], $this->getOwner());
-                }
-
-                $value = (string) $value;
+            if ($value === '' && $this->required) {
+                throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be empty'], $this->getOwner());
             }
 
-            // normalize
             switch ($this->type) {
                 case null:
                 case 'string':
-                    $value = trim(str_replace(["\r", "\n"], '', $value)); // remove all line-ends and trim
-                    if ($this->required && empty($value)) {
-                        throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be empty'], $this->getOwner());
-                    }
-
-                    break;
                 case 'text':
-                    $value = trim(str_replace(["\r\n", "\r"], "\n", $value)); // normalize line-ends to LF and trim
                     if ($this->required && empty($value)) {
                         throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be empty'], $this->getOwner());
                     }
 
                     break;
                 case 'integer':
-                    $value = preg_replace('/\s+|[,`\']/', '', $value);
-                    if (!is_numeric($value)) {
-                        throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must be numeric'], $this->getOwner());
-                    }
-                    $value = (int) $value;
-                    if ($this->required && empty($value)) {
-                        throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be a zero'], $this->getOwner());
-                    }
-
-                    break;
                 case 'float':
                 case 'atk4_money':
-                    $value = preg_replace('/\s+|[,`\'](?=.*\.)/', '', $value);
-                    if (!is_numeric($value)) {
-                        throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must be numeric'], $this->getOwner());
-                    }
-                    $value = $this->getTypeObject()->convertToPHPValue($value, new Persistence\GenericPlatform());
                     if ($this->required && empty($value)) {
                         throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Must not be a zero'], $this->getOwner());
                     }
@@ -184,20 +212,6 @@ public function normalize($value)
                     break;
             }
 
-            // normalize using DBAL type
-            $persistence = $this->getOwner()->persistence
-                ?? new class() extends Persistence {
-                    public function __construct()
-                    {
-                    }
-                };
-            try {
-                $value = $persistence->typecastSaveField($this, $value);
-                $value = $persistence->typecastLoadField($this, $value);
-            } catch (\Exception $e) {
-                throw new ValidationException([$this->name => 'Invalid value: ' . $e->getMessage()], $this->getOwner());
-            }
-
             return $value;
         } catch (Exception $e) {
             $e->addMoreInfo('field', $this);
diff --git a/src/Persistence.php b/src/Persistence.php
index d66eb7cd28..7ad1d6bf80 100644
--- a/src/Persistence.php
+++ b/src/Persistence.php
@@ -261,12 +261,6 @@ public function typecastLoadField(Field $field, $value)
         }
 
         try {
-            // only string type fields can use empty string as legit value, for all
-            // other field types empty value is the same as no-value, nothing or null
-            if ($field->type && $field->type !== 'string' && $value === '') {
-                return null;
-            }
-
             return $this->_typecastLoadField($field, $value);
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
             throw (new Exception('Unable to typecast field value on load', 0, $e))
@@ -284,54 +278,42 @@ public function typecastLoadField(Field $field, $value)
      */
     protected function _typecastSaveField(Field $field, $value)
     {
-        // work only on cloned value
-        $value = is_object($value) ? clone $value : $value;
-
-        switch ($field->type) {
-            case 'boolean':
-                // if enum is not set, then simply cast value to boolean
-                if (!is_array($field->enum)) {
-                    $value = (bool) $value;
+        if (in_array($field->type, ['json', 'object']) && $value === '') { // TODO remove later
+            return null;
+        }
 
-                    break;
-                }
+        if ($field->type === 'boolean' && is_array($field->enum)) {
+            if ($value === $field->enum[1]) {
+                $value = true;
+            } elseif ($value === $field->enum[0]) {
+                $value = false;
+            }
 
-                // if enum is set, first lets see if it matches one of those precisely
-                if ($value === $field->enum[1]) {
-                    $value = true;
-                } elseif ($value === $field->enum[0]) {
-                    $value = false;
-                }
+            $value = $value ? $field->enum[1] : $field->enum[0];
+        }
 
-                // finally, convert into appropriate value
-                $value = $value ? $field->enum[1] : $field->enum[0];
-
-                break;
-            case 'date':
-            case 'datetime':
-            case 'time':
-                if ($value instanceof \DateTimeInterface) {
-                    $format = ['date' => 'Y-m-d', 'datetime' => 'Y-m-d H:i:s.u', 'time' => 'H:i:s.u'];
-                    $format = $field->persist_format ?: $format[$field->type];
-
-                    // datetime only - set to persisting timezone
-                    if ($field->type === 'datetime' && isset($field->persist_timezone)) {
-                        $value = new \DateTime($value->format('Y-m-d H:i:s.u'), $value->getTimezone());
-                        $value->setTimezone(new \DateTimeZone($field->persist_timezone));
-                    }
-                    $value = $value->format($format);
+        // native DBAL DT types have no microseconds support
+        if (in_array($field->type, ['datetime', 'date', 'time'])
+            && str_starts_with(get_class($field->getTypeObject()), 'Doctrine\DBAL\Types\\')) {
+            if ($value === '') {
+                return null;
+            } elseif (!$value instanceof \DateTimeInterface) {
+                throw new Exception('Must be instance of DateTimeInterface');
+            } else {
+                if ($field->type === 'datetime' && isset($field->persist_timezone)) {
+                    $value = new \DateTime($value->format('Y-m-d H:i:s.u'), $value->getTimezone());
+                    $value->setTimezone(new \DateTimeZone($field->persist_timezone));
                 }
 
-                break;
-            case 'array':
-            case 'object':
-            case 'json':
-                $value = $field->getTypeObject()->convertToDatabaseValue($value, $this->getDatabasePlatform()); // TODO typecast everything, not only this type
+                $formats = ['date' => 'Y-m-d', 'datetime' => 'Y-m-d H:i:s.u', 'time' => 'H:i:s.u'];
+                $format = $field->persist_format ?: $formats[$field->type];
+                $value = $value->format($format);
+            }
 
-                break;
+            return $value;
         }
 
-        return $value;
+        return $field->getTypeObject()->convertToDatabaseValue($value, $this->getDatabasePlatform());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -344,88 +326,55 @@ protected function _typecastSaveField(Field $field, $value)
      */
     protected function _typecastLoadField(Field $field, $value)
     {
-        // work only on cloned value
-        $value = is_object($value) ? clone $value : $value;
-
-        switch ($field->type) {
-            case 'string':
-            case 'text':
-                // do nothing - it's ok as it is
-                break;
-            case 'integer':
-                $value = (int) $value;
-
-                break;
-            case 'float':
-            case 'atk4_money':
-                $value = (float) $value;
-
-                break;
-            case 'boolean':
-                if (is_array($field->enum)) {
-                    if ($value === $field->enum[0]) {
-                        $value = false;
-                    } elseif ($value === $field->enum[1]) {
-                        $value = true;
-                    } else {
-                        $value = null;
-                    }
-                } elseif ($value === '') {
-                    $value = null;
-                } else {
-                    $value = (bool) $value;
-                }
+        // TODO casting optionally to null should be handled by type itself solely
+        if ($value === '' && in_array($field->type, ['boolean', 'integer', 'float', 'datetime', 'date', 'time', 'json', 'object'])) {
+            return null;
+        }
 
-                break;
-            case 'date':
-            case 'datetime':
-            case 'time':
-                $dt_class = \DateTime::class;
-                $tz_class = \DateTimeZone::class;
+        if ($field->type === 'boolean' && is_array($field->enum)) {
+            if ($value === $field->enum[1]) {
+                $value = true;
+            } elseif ($value === $field->enum[0]) {
+                $value = false;
+            }
+        }
 
+        // native DBAL DT types have no microseconds support
+        if (in_array($field->type, ['datetime', 'date', 'time'])
+            && str_starts_with(get_class($field->getTypeObject()), 'Doctrine\DBAL\Types\\')) {
+            if ($field->persist_format) {
+                $format = $field->persist_format;
+            } else {
                 // ! symbol in date format is essential here to remove time part of DateTime - don't remove, this is not a bug
-                $format = ['date' => '+!Y-m-d', 'datetime' => '+!Y-m-d H:i:s', 'time' => '+!H:i:s'];
-                if ($field->persist_format) {
-                    $format = $field->persist_format;
-                } else {
-                    $format = $format[$field->type];
-                    if (strpos($value, '.') !== false) { // time possibly with microseconds, otherwise invalid format
-                        $format = preg_replace('~(?<=H:i:s)(?![. ]*u)~', '.u', $format);
-                    }
-                }
-
-                // datetime only - set from persisting timezone
-                if ($field->type === 'datetime' && isset($field->persist_timezone)) {
-                    $value = $dt_class::createFromFormat($format, $value, new $tz_class($field->persist_timezone));
-                    if ($value !== false) {
-                        $value->setTimezone(new $tz_class(date_default_timezone_get()));
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    $value = $dt_class::createFromFormat($format, $value);
-                }
-
-                if ($value === false) {
-                    throw (new Exception('Incorrectly formatted date/time'))
-                        ->addMoreInfo('format', $format)
-                        ->addMoreInfo('value', $value)
-                        ->addMoreInfo('field', $field);
+                $formats = ['date' => '+!Y-m-d', 'datetime' => '+!Y-m-d H:i:s', 'time' => '+!H:i:s'];
+                $format = $formats[$field->type];
+                if (strpos($value, '.') !== false) { // time possibly with microseconds, otherwise invalid format
+                    $format = preg_replace('~(?<=H:i:s)(?![. ]*u)~', '.u', $format);
                 }
+            }
 
-                // need to cast here because DateTime::createFromFormat returns DateTime object not $dt_class
-                // this is what Carbon::instance(DateTime $dt) method does for example
-                if ($dt_class !== \DateTime::class) { // @phpstan-ignore-line
-                    $value = new $dt_class($value->format('Y-m-d H:i:s.u'), $value->getTimezone());
+            // datetime only - set from persisting timezone
+            $dtClass = \DateTime::class;
+            $tzClass = \DateTimeZone::class;
+            if ($field->type === 'datetime' && isset($field->persist_timezone)) {
+                $value = $dtClass::createFromFormat($format, $value, new $tzClass($field->persist_timezone));
+                if ($value !== false) {
+                    $value->setTimezone(new $tzClass(date_default_timezone_get()));
                 }
+            } else {
+                $value = $dtClass::createFromFormat($format, $value);
+            }
 
-                break;
-            case 'array':
-            case 'object':
-            case 'json':
-                $value = $field->getTypeObject()->convertToPHPValue($value, $this->getDatabasePlatform()); // TODO typecast everything, not only this type
+            if ($value === false) {
+                throw (new Exception('Incorrectly formatted date/time'))
+                    ->addMoreInfo('format', $format)
+                    ->addMoreInfo('value', $value)
+                    ->addMoreInfo('field', $field);
+            }
 
-                break;
+            return $value;
         }
 
-        return $value;
+        return $field->getTypeObject()->convertToPHPValue($value, $this->getDatabasePlatform());
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ContainsManyTest.php b/tests/ContainsManyTest.php
index 7c767df853..9c6030afa8 100644
--- a/tests/ContainsManyTest.php
+++ b/tests/ContainsManyTest.php
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ public function testNestedContainsMany(): void
                 1 => [
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->id => 1,
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->vat_rate_id => 1,
-                    $i->lines->fieldName()->price => 10,
+                    $i->lines->fieldName()->price => '10',
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->qty => 2,
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->add_date => $formatDtForCompareFunc(new \DateTime('2019-06-01')),
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->discounts => json_encode([
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ public function testNestedContainsMany(): void
                 2 => [
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->id => 2,
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->vat_rate_id => 2,
-                    $i->lines->fieldName()->price => 15,
+                    $i->lines->fieldName()->price => '15',
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->qty => 5,
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->add_date => $formatDtForCompareFunc(new \DateTime('2019-07-01')),
                     $i->lines->fieldName()->discounts => json_encode([