diff --git a/app/history_meta.py b/app/history_meta.py
index be0c184b5..9cbbe07f1 100644
--- a/app/history_meta.py
+++ b/app/history_meta.py
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ def _history_mapper(local_mapper):
         col = col.copy()
         orig.info['history_copy'] = col
         col.unique = False
-        col.default = col.server_default = None
+
+        # if the column is nullable, we could end up overwriting an on-purpose null value with a default.
+        # if it's not nullable, however, the default may be relied upon to correctly set values within the database,
+        # so we should preserve it
+        if col.nullable:
+            col.default = col.server_default = None
         return col
 
     properties = util.OrderedDict()
@@ -201,7 +206,9 @@ def create_history(obj):
 
         elif isinstance(prop, RelationshipProperty):
             if hasattr(history, prop.key+'_id'):
-                data[prop.key+'_id'] = getattr(obj, prop.key).id
+                foreign_obj = getattr(obj, prop.key)
+                # if it's a nullable relationship, foreign_obj will be None, and we actually want to record that
+                data[prop.key+'_id'] = getattr(foreign_obj, 'id', None)
 
     if not obj.version:
         obj.version = 1
diff --git a/tests/app/dao/test_services_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/test_services_dao.py
index 943343b61..1af238b4d 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/test_services_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/test_services_dao.py
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ from app.models import (
     Permission,
     User,
     InvitedUser,
-    Service
+    Service,
+    BRANDING_GOVUK
 )
 
 from tests.app.conftest import (
@@ -60,10 +61,13 @@ def test_create_service(sample_user):
                       created_by=sample_user)
     dao_create_service(service, sample_user)
     assert Service.query.count() == 1
-    assert Service.query.first().name == "service_name"
-    assert Service.query.first().id == service.id
-    assert not Service.query.first().research_mode
-    assert sample_user in Service.query.first().users
+
+    service_db = Service.query.first()
+    assert service_db.name == "service_name"
+    assert service_db.id == service.id
+    assert service_db.branding == BRANDING_GOVUK
+    assert not service_db.research_mode
+    assert sample_user in service_db.users
 
 
 def test_cannot_create_two_services_with_same_name(sample_user):
@@ -254,6 +258,8 @@ def test_create_service_creates_a_history_record_with_current_data(sample_user):
     assert service_from_db.version == service_history.version
     assert sample_user.id == service_history.created_by_id
     assert service_from_db.created_by.id == service_history.created_by_id
+    assert service_from_db.branding == BRANDING_GOVUK
+    assert service_history.branding == BRANDING_GOVUK
 
 
 def test_update_service_creates_a_history_record_with_current_data(sample_user):