diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/security/auth.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/security/auth.ts
index 60fe72947b..218cc87467 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/security/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/security/auth.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const MIN_LENGTH = 8
 export function validatePassword(
   password: string
 ): { valid: true } | { valid: false; error: string } {
-  if (password?.length < MIN_LENGTH) {
+  if (!password || password.length < MIN_LENGTH) {
     return { valid: false, error: "Password invalid. Minimum eight characters" }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/security/tests/auth.spec.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/security/tests/auth.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2d3d08579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/security/tests/auth.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { validatePassword } from "../auth"
+
+describe("auth", () => {
+  describe("validatePassword", () => {
+    it("a valid password returns successful", () => {
+      expect(validatePassword("password")).toEqual({ valid: true })
+    })
+
+    it.each([
+      ["undefined", undefined],
+      ["null", null],
+      ["empty", ""],
+    ])("%s returns unsuccessful", (_, password) => {
+      expect(validatePassword(password as string)).toEqual({
+        valid: false,
+        error: "Password invalid. Minimum eight characters",
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})