diff --git a/app/models/case_log.rb b/app/models/case_log.rb
index 2edc459b8..038df317f 100644
--- a/app/models/case_log.rb
+++ b/app/models/case_log.rb
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ class CaseLog < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :owning_organisation, class_name: "Organisation", optional: true
   belongs_to :managing_organisation, class_name: "Organisation", optional: true
   belongs_to :created_by, class_name: "User", optional: true
-  belongs_to :scheme, required: false
-  
+  belongs_to :scheme, optional: true
+
   scope :filter_by_organisation, ->(org, _user = nil) { where(owning_organisation: org).or(where(managing_organisation: org)) }
   scope :filter_by_status, ->(status, _user = nil) { where status: }
   scope :filter_by_years, lambda { |years, _user = nil|
diff --git a/app/models/validations/date_validations.rb b/app/models/validations/date_validations.rb
index 285eec370..7c6cdd5d2 100644
--- a/app/models/validations/date_validations.rb
+++ b/app/models/validations/date_validations.rb
@@ -34,19 +34,17 @@ module Validations::DateValidations
     if record.startdate < first_collection_start_date || record.startdate > second_collection_end_date
       record.errors.add :startdate, I18n.t("validations.date.outside_collection_window")
     end
-    
+
     # if record.voiddate.present?
     #   if (record.startdate.to_date - record.voiddate.to_date).to_i.abs > 730
     #     record.errors.add :startdate, I18n.t("validations.setup.startdate.voiddate_difference")
-    #   end 
-    # end 
+    #   end
+    # end
 
     if record.scheme_id.present?
       scheme_end_date = Scheme.find(record.scheme_id).end_date
-      if scheme_end_date.present?
-        if record.startdate > scheme_end_date
-          record.errors.add :startdate, I18n.t("validations.setup.startdate.before_scheme_end_date")
-        end
+      if scheme_end_date.present? && (record.startdate > scheme_end_date)
+        record.errors.add :startdate, I18n.t("validations.setup.startdate.before_scheme_end_date")
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/validations/date_validations_spec.rb b/spec/models/validations/date_validations_spec.rb
index ee313494b..6cb717fab 100644
--- a/spec/models/validations/date_validations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/validations/date_validations_spec.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ RSpec.describe Validations::DateValidations do
 
   let(:validator_class) { Class.new { include Validations::DateValidations } }
   let(:record) { FactoryBot.create(:case_log) }
-  let(:scheme) { FactoryBot.create(:scheme, end_date: Time.zone.today - 5.days)}
-  let(:scheme_no_end_date) { FactoryBot.create(:scheme, end_date: nil)}
+  let(:scheme) { FactoryBot.create(:scheme, end_date: Time.zone.today - 5.days) }
+  let(:scheme_no_end_date) { FactoryBot.create(:scheme, end_date: nil) }
 
   describe "tenancy start date" do
     it "cannot be before the first collection window start date" do
@@ -39,21 +39,21 @@ RSpec.describe Validations::DateValidations do
       setup_validator.validate_startdate(record)
       expect(record.errors["startdate"])
         .to include(match I18n.t("validations.setup.startdate.before_scheme_end_date"))
-    end 
+    end
 
     it "produces no error when the tenancy start date is before the end date of the chosen scheme if it has an end date" do
       record.startdate = Time.zone.today - 30.days
       record.scheme = scheme
       setup_validator.validate_startdate(record)
       expect(record.errors["startdate"]).to be_empty
-    end 
+    end
 
     it "produces no startdate error for scheme end dates when the chosen scheme does not have an end date" do
       record.startdate = Time.zone.today
       record.scheme = scheme_no_end_date
       setup_validator.validate_startdate(record)
       expect(record.errors["startdate"]).to be_empty
-    end 
+    end
 
     # it "validates that tenancy start date is less than 730 days away from the void date" do
     #   record.startdate = Time.zone.today