diff --git a/lib/stormy/controllers/admin_controller.rb b/lib/stormy/controllers/admin_controller.rb
index d803b98..96bf3da 100644
--- a/lib/stormy/controllers/admin_controller.rb
+++ b/lib/stormy/controllers/admin_controller.rb
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ module Stormy
         fields = params.merge({
           'email_verified' => email_changed ? true : @account.email_verified
         })
+        # TODO slice valid field names instead of removing the outliers
         fields.delete('splat')
         fields.delete('captures')
         fields.delete('email')
diff --git a/lib/stormy/models/base.rb b/lib/stormy/models/base.rb
index aef38fa..3d6583c 100644
--- a/lib/stormy/models/base.rb
+++ b/lib/stormy/models/base.rb
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ module Stormy
       end
 
       def update_indexed_field(name, value)
-        value = value.strip
+        value = value.to_s.strip
         orig = send(name)
         if orig != value
           changed = orig.downcase != value.downcase