diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/views/test_views_internal.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/views/test_views_internal.py
index 1beae83c40..b00e96229a 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/views/test_views_internal.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/views/test_views_internal.py
@@ -110,11 +110,6 @@ def setUp(self):
         invalid_copyright_holder["title"] = "invalid_copyright_holder"
         invalid_copyright_holder["copyright_holder"] = ""
 
-        # Node with tag greater than 30 characters
-        invalid_tag_length = self._make_node_data()
-        invalid_tag_length["title"] = "invalid_tag_length"
-        invalid_tag_length["tags"] = ["abcd abcd abcd abcd abcd abcd", "abcde abcd abcd abcd abcd abcd", "abcdef abcd abcd abcd abcd abcd"]
-
         self.sample_data = {
             "root_id": self.root_node.id,
             "content_data": [
@@ -122,7 +117,6 @@ def setUp(self):
                 invalid_title_node,
                 invalid_license_description,
                 invalid_copyright_holder,
-                invalid_tag_length,
             ],
         }
         self.resp = self.admin_client().post(
@@ -184,10 +178,23 @@ def test_invalid_nodes_are_not_complete(self):
         self.assertFalse(node_3.complete)
 
     def test_tag_greater_than_30_chars_excluded(self):
-        node = ContentNode.objects.get(title="invalid_tag_length")
-        tags = node.tags.all()
-        for t in tags:
-            assert len(t.tag_name) <= 30
+        # Node with tag greater than 30 characters
+        invalid_tag_length = self._make_node_data()
+        invalid_tag_length["title"] = "invalid_tag_length"
+        invalid_tag_length["tags"] = ["kolibri studio, kolibri studio!"]
+
+        test_data = {
+            "root_id": self.root_node.id,
+            "content_data": [
+                invalid_tag_length,
+            ],
+        }
+
+        response = self.admin_client().post(
+            reverse_lazy("api_add_nodes_to_tree"), data=test_data, format="json"
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 400, response.content)
 
 
 class ApiAddExerciseNodesToTreeTestCase(StudioTestCase):
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_contentnode.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_contentnode.py
index 55872a58e4..ce05fd2aaa 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_contentnode.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_contentnode.py
@@ -1367,6 +1367,22 @@ def test_create_contentnode_tag(self):
             .exists()
         )
 
+    def test_contentnode_tag_greater_than_30_chars(self):
+        user = testdata.user()
+        tag = "kolibri studio, kolibri studio!"
+
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user=user)
+        contentnode = self.contentnode_metadata
+        contentnode["tags"] = {
+            tag: True,
+        }
+
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("contentnode-list"), contentnode, format="json",
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 400, response.content)
+
     def test_update_contentnode(self):
         user = testdata.user()
         contentnode = models.ContentNode.objects.create(**self.contentnode_db_metadata)
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/contentnode.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/contentnode.py
index b77fafdc6a..cb9e4c9718 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/contentnode.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/contentnode.py
@@ -301,9 +301,11 @@ class Meta:
         nested_writes = True
 
     def validate(self, data):
-        for tag in data["tags"]:
-            if len(tag.tag_name) > 30:
-                raise ValidationError("tag is greater than 30 characters")
+        tags = data.get("tags")
+        if tags is not None:
+            for tag in tags:
+                if len(tag) > 30:
+                    raise ValidationError("tag is greater than 30 characters")
         return data
 
     def create(self, validated_data):