diff --git a/lib/plexus/ratings.ex b/lib/plexus/ratings.ex
index 97f66a2d..31fb0a99 100644
--- a/lib/plexus/ratings.ex
+++ b/lib/plexus/ratings.ex
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ defmodule Plexus.Ratings do
           optional(:notes) => String.t(),
           android_version: String.t(),
           app_package: String.t(),
-          app_version: String.t(),
+          app_version: String.t() | nil,
           app_build_number: non_neg_integer(),
           rom_name: String.t(),
           rom_build: String.t(),
diff --git a/lib/plexus/schemas/rating.ex b/lib/plexus/schemas/rating.ex
index 84e65a25..cbc44e01 100644
--- a/lib/plexus/schemas/rating.ex
+++ b/lib/plexus/schemas/rating.ex
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ defmodule Plexus.Schemas.Rating do
   @required [
     :android_version,
     :app_package,
-    :app_version,
     :app_build_number,
     :rom_name,
     :rom_build,
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ defmodule Plexus.Schemas.Rating do
     :installation_source,
     :score
   ]
-  @optional [:notes]
+  @optional [:app_version, :notes]
   @doc false
   def changeset(%Rating{} = rating, attrs) do
     rating
diff --git a/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller.ex b/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller.ex
index be134073..6625692c 100644
--- a/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller.ex
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ defmodule PlexusWeb.API.V1.RatingController do
     schema = %{
       android_version: {:string, [required: true]},
       app_package: {:string, [required: true]},
-      app_version: {:string, [required: true]},
+      app_version: {:string, [required: false]},
       app_build_number: {:integer, [required: true]},
       rom_name: {:string, [required: true]},
       rom_build: {:string, [required: true]},
diff --git a/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_json.ex b/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_json.ex
index b06cf56d..951f07c6 100644
--- a/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_json.ex
+++ b/lib/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_json.ex
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ defmodule PlexusWeb.API.V1.RatingJSON do
       id: rating.id,
       android_version: rating.android_version,
       app_package: rating.app_package,
-      app_version: rating.app_version,
+      app_version: rating.app_version || "",
       app_build_number: rating.app_build_number,
       rom_name: rating.rom_name,
       rom_build: rating.rom_build,
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20240918205824_make_rating_app_version_nullable.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20240918205824_make_rating_app_version_nullable.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..45d02b23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20240918205824_make_rating_app_version_nullable.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+defmodule Plexus.Repo.Migrations.MakeRatingAppVersionNullable do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    alter table(:ratings) do
+      modify :app_version, :string, null: true, from: {:string, null: true}
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/plexus/ratings_test.exs b/test/plexus/ratings_test.exs
index 74046653..b261e3c2 100644
--- a/test/plexus/ratings_test.exs
+++ b/test/plexus/ratings_test.exs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ defmodule Plexus.RatingsTest do
   @invalid_attrs %{
     app_package: "",
     app_build_number: nil,
-    app_version: nil,
     rating_type: nil,
     rom_name: nil,
     rom_build: nil,
@@ -64,6 +63,24 @@ defmodule Plexus.RatingsTest do
       assert rating.rom_build == "some ROM build"
     end
 
+    test "handles optional app_version" do
+      app = app_fixture()
+
+      valid_attrs = %{
+        app_package: app.package,
+        android_version: "some android_version",
+        app_build_number: 42,
+        app_version: nil,
+        rating_type: :native,
+        score: 3,
+        installation_source: "fdroid",
+        rom_name: "some ROM name",
+        rom_build: "some ROM build"
+      }
+
+      assert {:ok, %Rating{}} = Ratings.create_rating(valid_attrs)
+    end
+
     test "invalid data returns error changeset" do
       assert {:error, _reason} = Ratings.create_rating(@invalid_attrs)
     end
diff --git a/test/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller_test.exs b/test/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller_test.exs
index fdd369da..62b98336 100644
--- a/test/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/plexus_web/controllers/api/v1/rating_controller_test.exs
@@ -76,6 +76,25 @@ defmodule PlexusWeb.API.V1.RatingControllerTest do
              } = json_response(conn, 200)["data"]
     end
 
+    test "handles null/empty app_verison", %{conn: conn} do
+      %{package: app_package} = app_fixture()
+      attrs = Map.put(@create_attrs, :app_package, app_package)
+
+      conn =
+        post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/apps/#{app_package}/ratings",
+          rating: Map.put(attrs, :app_version, nil)
+        )
+
+      assert %{"app_version" => ""} = json_response(conn, 201)["data"]
+
+      conn =
+        post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/apps/#{app_package}/ratings",
+          rating: Map.put(attrs, :app_version, "")
+        )
+
+      assert %{"app_version" => ""} = json_response(conn, 201)["data"]
+    end
+
     test "renders errors when data is invalid", %{conn: conn} do
       app = app_fixture()
       conn = post(conn, ~p"/api/v1/apps/#{app}/ratings", rating: @invalid_attrs)
@@ -84,7 +103,6 @@ defmodule PlexusWeb.API.V1.RatingControllerTest do
                "errors" => %{
                  "android_version" => ["can't be blank"],
                  "app_build_number" => ["can't be blank"],
-                 "app_version" => ["can't be blank"],
                  "rom_name" => ["can't be blank"],
                  "rom_build" => ["can't be blank"],
                  "installation_source" => ["can't be blank"],