diff --git a/app/DataProviders/DesignBlocks.php b/app/DataProviders/DesignBlocks.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5a85d7284f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/DataProviders/DesignBlocks.php
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+* Invoice Ninja (https://invoiceninja.com).
+*
+* @link https://github.com/invoiceninja/invoiceninja source repository
+*
+* @copyright Copyright (c) 2022. Invoice Ninja LLC (https://invoiceninja.com)
+*
+* @license https://www.elastic.co/licensing/elastic-license
+*/
+
+namespace App\DataProviders;
+
+class DesignBlocks
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        public string $includes = '',
+        public string $header = '',
+        public string $body = '',
+        public string $footer = ''
+    ) {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Factory/DesignFactory.php b/app/Factory/DesignFactory.php
index 36b3a4f187e0..0013e37d7ba3 100644
--- a/app/Factory/DesignFactory.php
+++ b/app/Factory/DesignFactory.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Factory;
 
+use App\DataProviders\DesignBlocks;
 use App\Models\Design;
 
 class DesignFactory
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ class DesignFactory
         $design->is_active = true;
         $design->is_custom = true;
         $design->name = '';
-        $design->design = '[]';
+        $design->design = new DesignBlocks();
 
         return $design;
     }
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Design/StoreDesignRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/Design/StoreDesignRequest.php
index 589f4c768b9b..2af551664c66 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/Design/StoreDesignRequest.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Design/StoreDesignRequest.php
@@ -33,12 +33,17 @@ class StoreDesignRequest extends Request
             //'name' => 'required',
             'name' => 'required|unique:designs,name,null,null,company_id,'.auth()->user()->companyId(),
             'design' => 'required|array',
+            'design.header' => 'required|min:1',
+            'design.body' => 'required|min:1',
+            'design.footer' => 'required|min:1',
+            'design.includes' => 'required|min:1',
         ];
     }
 
     public function prepareForValidation()
     {
         $input = $this->all();
+        $input['design'] = (isset($input['design']) && is_array($input['design'])) ? $input['design'] : [];
 
         if (! array_key_exists('product', $input['design']) || is_null($input['design']['product'])) {
             $input['design']['product'] = '';