diff --git a/Classes/Domain/Model/Product/Tea.php b/Classes/Domain/Model/Product/Tea.php
index 0f5875c3d..fe95f6938 100644
--- a/Classes/Domain/Model/Product/Tea.php
+++ b/Classes/Domain/Model/Product/Tea.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Tea extends AbstractEntity
     /**
      * @var string
      */
-    private string $internalNotes;
+    private string $internalNotes = '';
 
     /**
      * @var \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Domain\Model\FileReference
diff --git a/Tests/Unit/Domain/Model/Product/TeaTest.php b/Tests/Unit/Domain/Model/Product/TeaTest.php
index c7377bb58..25fce692a 100644
--- a/Tests/Unit/Domain/Model/Product/TeaTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Unit/Domain/Model/Product/TeaTest.php
@@ -72,6 +72,26 @@ public function setDescriptionSetsDescription(): void
         self::assertSame($value, $this->subject->getDescription());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @test
+     */
+    public function getInternalNotesInitiallyEmptyString(): void
+    {
+        self::assertSame('', $this->subject->getInternalNotes());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @test
+     */
+    public function setInternalNotesSetsInternalNotes(): void
+    {
+        $notes = 'Yery yummy! Buy lots of this!';
+
+        $this->subject->setInternalNotes($notes);
+
+        self::assertSame($notes, $this->subject->getInternalNotes());
+    }
+
     /**
      * @test
      */