diff --git a/backend/src/db/migrations/20250922222724_remove-secret-approval-multiline-encoding-default.ts b/backend/src/db/migrations/20250922222724_remove-secret-approval-multiline-encoding-default.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6b9e624f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/db/migrations/20250922222724_remove-secret-approval-multiline-encoding-default.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { Knex } from "knex";
+
+import { TableName } from "@app/db/schemas";
+
+export async function up(knex: Knex): Promise<void> {
+  if (await knex.schema.hasTable(TableName.SecretApprovalRequestSecretV2)) {
+    await knex.schema.alterTable(TableName.SecretApprovalRequestSecretV2, (t) => {
+      t.boolean("skipMultilineEncoding").alter();
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+export async function down(knex: Knex): Promise<void> {
+  if (await knex.schema.hasTable(TableName.SecretApprovalRequestSecretV2)) {
+    await knex.schema.alterTable(TableName.SecretApprovalRequestSecretV2, (t) => {
+      t.boolean("skipMultilineEncoding").defaultTo(false).alter();
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/db/schemas/secret-approval-requests-secrets-v2.ts b/backend/src/db/schemas/secret-approval-requests-secrets-v2.ts
index 298985fed..d0f1a7c6d 100644
--- a/backend/src/db/schemas/secret-approval-requests-secrets-v2.ts
+++ b/backend/src/db/schemas/secret-approval-requests-secrets-v2.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestsSecretsV2Schema = z.object({
   encryptedComment: zodBuffer.nullable().optional(),
   reminderNote: z.string().nullable().optional(),
   reminderRepeatDays: z.number().nullable().optional(),
-  skipMultilineEncoding: z.boolean().default(false).nullable().optional(),
+  skipMultilineEncoding: z.boolean().nullable().optional(),
   metadata: z.unknown().nullable().optional(),
   createdAt: z.date(),
   updatedAt: z.date(),
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/secret-approval-request-router.ts b/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/secret-approval-request-router.ts
index 6a9b59f00..78d9aeddc 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/secret-approval-request-router.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/secret-approval-request-router.ts
@@ -320,10 +320,20 @@ export const registerSecretApprovalRequestRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProv
                 .array(),
               secretPath: z.string(),
               commits: secretRawSchema
-                .omit({ _id: true, environment: true, workspace: true, type: true, version: true, secretValue: true })
+                .omit({
+                  _id: true,
+                  environment: true,
+                  workspace: true,
+                  type: true,
+                  version: true,
+                  secretValue: true,
+                  secretComment: true
+                })
                 .extend({
                   secretValueHidden: z.boolean(),
                   secretValue: z.string().optional(),
+                  secretComment: z.string().optional(),
+                  skipMultilineEncoding: z.boolean().nullish(),
                   isRotatedSecret: z.boolean().optional(),
                   op: z.string(),
                   tags: SanitizedTagSchema.array().optional(),
@@ -348,7 +358,8 @@ export const registerSecretApprovalRequestRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProv
                       secretValueHidden: z.boolean(),
                       secretComment: z.string().optional(),
                       tags: SanitizedTagSchema.array().optional(),
-                      secretMetadata: ResourceMetadataSchema.nullish()
+                      secretMetadata: ResourceMetadataSchema.nullish(),
+                      skipMultilineEncoding: z.boolean().nullish()
                     })
                     .optional()
                 })
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-secret-dal.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-secret-dal.ts
index 17182cddf..d0df188df 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-secret-dal.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-secret-dal.ts
@@ -284,7 +284,8 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestSecretDALFactory = (db: TDbClient) => {
           db.ref("version").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerVersion"),
           db.ref("key").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerKey"),
           db.ref("encryptedValue").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerValue"),
-          db.ref("encryptedComment").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerComment")
+          db.ref("encryptedComment").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerComment"),
+          db.ref("skipMultilineEncoding").withSchema(TableName.SecretVersionV2).as("secVerSkipMultilineEncoding")
         )
         .select(
           db.ref("id").withSchema(TableName.ResourceMetadata).as("metadataId"),
@@ -326,14 +327,22 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestSecretDALFactory = (db: TDbClient) => {
           {
             key: "secretVersion",
             label: "secretVersion" as const,
-            mapper: ({ secretVersion, secVerVersion, secVerKey, secVerValue, secVerComment }) =>
+            mapper: ({
+              secretVersion,
+              secVerVersion,
+              secVerKey,
+              secVerValue,
+              secVerComment,
+              secVerSkipMultilineEncoding
+            }) =>
               secretVersion
                 ? {
                     version: secVerVersion,
                     id: secretVersion,
                     key: secVerKey,
                     encryptedValue: secVerValue,
-                    encryptedComment: secVerComment
+                    encryptedComment: secVerComment,
+                    skipMultilineEncoding: secVerSkipMultilineEncoding
                   }
                 : undefined,
             childrenMapper: [
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-service.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-service.ts
index 80fbf546f..7847a59a6 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/secret-approval-request/secret-approval-request-service.ts
@@ -337,12 +337,17 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
           ? INFISICAL_SECRET_VALUE_HIDDEN_MASK
           : el.secret && el.secret.isRotatedSecret
             ? undefined
-            : el.encryptedValue
+            : el.encryptedValue !== undefined && el.encryptedValue !== null
               ? secretManagerDecryptor({ cipherTextBlob: el.encryptedValue }).toString()
-              : "",
-        secretComment: el.encryptedComment
-          ? secretManagerDecryptor({ cipherTextBlob: el.encryptedComment }).toString()
-          : "",
+              : undefined,
+        secretComment:
+          el.encryptedComment !== undefined && el.encryptedComment !== null
+            ? secretManagerDecryptor({ cipherTextBlob: el.encryptedComment }).toString()
+            : undefined,
+        skipMultilineEncoding:
+          el.skipMultilineEncoding !== undefined && el.skipMultilineEncoding !== null
+            ? el.skipMultilineEncoding
+            : undefined,
         secret: el.secret
           ? {
               secretKey: el.secret.key,
@@ -394,7 +399,8 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
                 ? secretManagerDecryptor({ cipherTextBlob: el.secretVersion.encryptedComment }).toString()
                 : "",
               tags: el.secretVersion.tags,
-              secretMetadata: el.oldSecretMetadata as ResourceMetadataDTO
+              secretMetadata: el.oldSecretMetadata as ResourceMetadataDTO,
+              skipMultilineEncoding: el.secretVersion.skipMultilineEncoding
             }
           : undefined
       }));
@@ -733,9 +739,9 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
               tx,
               inputSecrets: secretUpdationCommits.map((el) => {
                 const encryptedValue =
-                  !el.secret?.isRotatedSecret && typeof el.encryptedValue !== "undefined"
+                  !el.secret?.isRotatedSecret && el.encryptedValue !== null && el.encryptedValue !== undefined
                     ? {
-                        encryptedValue: el.encryptedValue as Buffer,
+                        encryptedValue: el.encryptedValue,
                         references: el.encryptedValue
                           ? getAllSecretReferencesV2Bridge(
                               secretManagerDecryptor({
@@ -749,9 +755,9 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
                   filter: { id: el.secretId as string, type: SecretType.Shared },
                   data: {
                     reminderRepeatDays: el.reminderRepeatDays,
-                    encryptedComment: el.encryptedComment,
+                    encryptedComment: el.encryptedComment !== null ? el.encryptedComment : undefined,
                     reminderNote: el.reminderNote,
-                    skipMultilineEncoding: el.skipMultilineEncoding,
+                    skipMultilineEncoding: el.skipMultilineEncoding !== null ? el.skipMultilineEncoding : undefined,
                     key: el.key,
                     tags: el?.tags.map(({ id }) => id),
                     secretMetadata: el.secretMetadata as ResourceMetadataDTO,
@@ -1633,11 +1639,13 @@ export const secretApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
               key: newSecretName || secretKey,
               encryptedComment: setKnexStringValue(
                 secretComment,
-                (value) => secretManagerEncryptor({ plainText: Buffer.from(value) }).cipherTextBlob
+                (value) => secretManagerEncryptor({ plainText: Buffer.from(value) }).cipherTextBlob,
+                true // scott: we need to encrypt empty string on update to differentiate not updating comment vs clearing comment
               ),
               encryptedValue: setKnexStringValue(
                 secretValue,
-                (value) => secretManagerEncryptor({ plainText: Buffer.from(value) }).cipherTextBlob
+                (value) => secretManagerEncryptor({ plainText: Buffer.from(value) }).cipherTextBlob,
+                true // scott: we need to encrypt empty string on update to differentiate not updating value vs clearing value
               ),
               reminderRepeatDays,
               reminderNote,
diff --git a/backend/src/lib/knex/select.ts b/backend/src/lib/knex/select.ts
index feccad4e3..8cc3f4892 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/knex/select.ts
+++ b/backend/src/lib/knex/select.ts
@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ export const stripUndefinedInWhere = <T extends object>(val: T): Exclude<T, unde
 // if its undefined its skipped in knex
 // if its empty string its set as null
 // else pass to the required one
-export const setKnexStringValue = <T>(value: string | null | undefined, cb: (arg: string) => T) => {
+export const setKnexStringValue = <T>(
+  value: string | null | undefined,
+  cb: (arg: string) => T,
+  allowEmptyString?: boolean
+) => {
   if (typeof value === "undefined") return;
-  if (value === "" || value === null) return null;
+  if ((value === "" && !allowEmptyString) || value === null) return null;
   return cb(value);
 };
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/OverviewPage/components/SecretOverviewTableRow/SecretRenameRow.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/OverviewPage/components/SecretOverviewTableRow/SecretRenameRow.tsx
index 5e1f27f57..723d4c3e2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/OverviewPage/components/SecretOverviewTableRow/SecretRenameRow.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/OverviewPage/components/SecretOverviewTableRow/SecretRenameRow.tsx
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ function SecretRenameRow({ environments, getSecretByKey, secretKey, secretPath }
           projectId,
           secretPath,
           secretKey: secret.key,
-          secretValue: secret.value || "",
           type: SecretType.Shared,
           tagIds: secret.tags?.map((tag) => tag.id),
           secretComment: secret.comment,
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/SecretApprovalRequest/components/SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/SecretApprovalRequest/components/SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem.tsx
index 7fd050b03..e451fdd27 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/SecretApprovalRequest/components/SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/SecretApprovalRequest/components/SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export type Props = {
   newVersion?: Omit<TSecretApprovalSecChange, "tags"> & {
     tags?: WsTag[];
     secretMetadata?: { key: string; value: string }[];
+    skipMultilineEncoding?: boolean;
   };
   presentSecretVersionNumber: number;
   hasMerged?: boolean;
@@ -217,6 +218,14 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem = ({
                   )}
                 </div>
               </div>
+              <div className="mb-2">
+                <div className="text-sm font-medium text-mineshaft-300">Multi-line Encoding</div>
+                <div className="text-sm">
+                  {secretVersion?.skipMultilineEncoding?.toString() || (
+                    <span className="text-sm text-mineshaft-300">-</span>
+                  )}{" "}
+                </div>
+              </div>
             </div>
           ) : (
             <div className="text-md flex w-full items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-mineshaft-600 bg-mineshaft-800 text-mineshaft-300 xl:w-1/2">
@@ -263,7 +272,7 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem = ({
                         isReadOnly
                         valueAlwaysHidden={newVersion?.secretValueHidden}
                         isVisible={isNewSecretValueVisible}
-                        value={newVersion?.secretValue}
+                        value={newVersion?.secretValue ?? secretVersion?.secretValue}
                         containerClassName={twMerge(
                           "border border-mineshaft-600 bg-bunker-700 py-1.5 text-bunker-300 hover:border-primary-400/50",
                           newVersion?.secretValueHidden ? "pl-8 pr-2" : "px-2"
@@ -287,7 +296,7 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem = ({
               <div className="mb-2">
                 <div className="text-sm font-medium text-mineshaft-300">Comment</div>
                 <div className="thin-scrollbar max-h-[5rem] max-w-[34rem] overflow-y-auto break-words text-sm xl:max-w-[28rem]">
-                  {newVersion?.secretComment || (
+                  {(newVersion?.secretComment ?? secretVersion?.secretComment) || (
                     <span className="text-sm text-mineshaft-300">-</span>
                   )}{" "}
                 </div>
@@ -315,9 +324,9 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem = ({
               </div>
               <div className="mb-2">
                 <div className="text-sm font-medium text-mineshaft-300">Metadata</div>
-                {newVersion?.secretMetadata?.length ? (
+                {(newVersion?.secretMetadata ?? secretVersion?.secretMetadata)?.length ? (
                   <div className="mt-1 flex flex-wrap gap-2 text-sm text-mineshaft-300">
-                    {newVersion.secretMetadata?.map((el) => (
+                    {(newVersion?.secretMetadata ?? secretVersion?.secretMetadata)?.map((el) => (
                       <div key={el.key} className="flex items-center">
                         <Tag
                           size="xs"
@@ -353,6 +362,15 @@ export const SecretApprovalRequestChangeItem = ({
                   <p className="text-sm text-mineshaft-300">-</p>
                 )}
               </div>
+              <div className="mb-2">
+                <div className="text-sm font-medium text-mineshaft-300">Multi-line Encoding</div>
+                <div className="text-sm">
+                  {newVersion?.skipMultilineEncoding?.toString() ??
+                    secretVersion?.skipMultilineEncoding?.toString() ?? (
+                      <span className="text-sm text-mineshaft-300">-</span>
+                    )}{" "}
+                </div>
+              </div>
             </div>
           ) : (
             <div className="text-md flex w-full items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-mineshaft-600 bg-mineshaft-800 text-mineshaft-300 xl:w-1/2">