diff --git a/pkg/model/nats.go b/pkg/model/nats.go
index 44d3cae..e193d10 100644
--- a/pkg/model/nats.go
+++ b/pkg/model/nats.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ type ValidateRequest struct {
 	SubmissionID     int64
 	ModelID          int64
 	ModelVersion     int64
-	ValidatedModelID int64 // optional value
+	ValidatedModelID *int64 // optional value
 }
 
 // Create a new map
diff --git a/pkg/service/submissions.go b/pkg/service/submissions.go
index 6e3bfb1..54b2d5f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/submissions.go
+++ b/pkg/service/submissions.go
@@ -534,7 +534,12 @@ func (svc *Service) ActionSubmissionTriggerValidate(ctx context.Context, params
 		SubmissionID:     submission.ID,
 		ModelID:          submission.AssetID,
 		ModelVersion:     submission.AssetVersion,
-		ValidatedModelID: submission.ValidatedAssetID,
+		ValidatedModelID: nil,
+	}
+
+	// sentinel values because we're not using rust
+	if submission.ValidatedAssetID != 0 {
+		validate_request.ValidatedModelID = &submission.ValidatedAssetID
 	}
 
 	j, err := json.Marshal(validate_request)