diff --git a/hwe/join_post.php b/hwe/join_post.php
index 85001276..76c155bf 100644
--- a/hwe/join_post.php
+++ b/hwe/join_post.php
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ $v = new Validator($_POST + $_GET);
 $v
 ->rule('required', [
     'name',
-    'pic',
     'leader',
     'power',
     'intel'
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ $v
     'power',
     'intel',
     'character',
-    'pic'
 ])
 ->rule('lengthBetween', 'name', 1, 6)
 ->rule('min', [
@@ -46,7 +44,7 @@ $userID = Session::getUserID();
 
 $name       = Util::getReq('name');
 $name       = StringUtil::removeSpecialCharacter($name);
-$pic        = Util::getReq('pic', 'int', 0);
+$pic        = (int)Util::getReq('pic', 'bool', 0);
 $character  = Util::getReq('character', 'int', 0);
 
 $leader = Util::getReq('leader', 'int', 50);
diff --git a/src/sammo/Util.php b/src/sammo/Util.php
index 2f4cbf4a..2b0a3bce 100644
--- a/src/sammo/Util.php
+++ b/src/sammo/Util.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Util extends \utilphp\util
 
         if ($type === 'bool') {
             $value = strtolower($value);
-            if ($value === '' || $value === 'off' || $value === 'false' || $value === 'no' || $value === 'n' || $value === 'x' || $value === 'null') {
+            if ($value === null || $value === '' || $value === 'off' || $value === 'false' || $value === 'no' || $value === 'n' || $value === 'x' || $value === 'null') {
                 return false;
             }
             return !!$value;