diff --git a/files/classes/user.py b/files/classes/user.py
index 963cd58fc..2cc430dad 100644
--- a/files/classes/user.py
+++ b/files/classes/user.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class User(Base):
 	enemies = deferred(Column(String))
 	enemies_html = deferred(Column(String))
 	is_banned = Column(Integer, ForeignKey("users.id"))
-	unban_utc = Column(Integer, default=0)
+	unban_utc = Column(Integer)
 	ban_reason = deferred(Column(String))
 	is_muted = Column(Boolean, default=False, nullable=False)
 	login_nonce = Column(Integer, default=0)
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ class User(Base):
 	@property
 	@lazy
 	def unban_string(self):
-		if self.unban_utc == 0:
+		if not self.unban_utc:
 			return "permanently banned"
 
 		wait = self.unban_utc - int(time.time())
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ class User(Base):
 			else:
 				self.unban_utc = int(time.time()) + (days * 86400)
 		else:
-			self.unban_utc = 0
+			self.unban_utc = None
 
 		self.is_banned = admin.id if admin else AUTOJANNY_ID
 		if reason and len(reason) <= 256:
@@ -1046,12 +1046,12 @@ class User(Base):
 	@property
 	@lazy
 	def is_suspended(self):
-		return (self.is_banned and (self.unban_utc == 0 or self.unban_utc > time.time()))
+		return (self.is_banned and (not self.unban_utc or self.unban_utc > time.time()))
 
 	@property
 	@lazy
 	def is_permabanned(self):
-		return (self.is_banned and self.unban_utc == 0)
+		return (self.is_banned and not self.unban_utc)
 
 	@property
 	@lazy
diff --git a/files/routes/admin.py b/files/routes/admin.py
index 51140e90a..45d27e061 100644
--- a/files/routes/admin.py
+++ b/files/routes/admin.py
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ def revert_actions(v, username):
 
 	for user in users:
 		user.shadowbanned = None
-		user.unban_utc = 0
+		user.unban_utc = None
 		user.ban_reason = None
 		if user.is_banned:
 			user.is_banned = None
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def revert_actions(v, username):
 
 		for u in get_alt_graph(user.id):
 			u.shadowbanned = None
-			u.unban_utc = 0
+			u.unban_utc = None
 			u.ban_reason = None
 			if u.is_banned:
 				u.is_banned = None
@@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ def unban_user(fullname, v):
 		abort(403, "You can't undo a ban award!")
 
 	user.is_banned = None
-	user.unban_utc = 0
+	user.unban_utc = None
 	if not user.shadowbanned:
 		user.ban_reason = None
 	send_repeatable_notification(user.id, f"@{v.username} (a site admin) has unbanned you!")
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ def unban_user(fullname, v):
 	for x in get_alt_graph(user.id):
 		if x.is_banned: send_repeatable_notification(x.id, f"@{v.username} (a site admin) has unbanned you!")
 		x.is_banned = None
-		x.unban_utc = 0
+		x.unban_utc = None
 		if not x.shadowbanned:
 			x.ban_reason = None
 		g.db.add(x)
diff --git a/files/routes/awards.py b/files/routes/awards.py
index 48f2f4ed5..5ea0fff99 100644
--- a/files/routes/awards.py
+++ b/files/routes/awards.py
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ def award_thing(v, thing_type, id):
 			author.unban_utc -= 86400
 			send_repeatable_notification(author.id, "Your ban duration has been reduced by 1 day!")
 		else:
-			author.unban_utc = 0
+			author.unban_utc = None
 			author.is_banned = None
 			if not author.shadowbanned:
 				author.ban_reason = None
diff --git a/files/routes/routehelpers.py b/files/routes/routehelpers.py
index 0e4aa6c0d..d84565394 100644
--- a/files/routes/routehelpers.py
+++ b/files/routes/routehelpers.py
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ def check_for_alts(current, include_current_session=False):
 		elif u.is_permabanned and not current.is_permabanned:
 			current.is_banned = u.is_banned
 			current.ban_reason = u.ban_reason
-			current.unban_utc = 0
+			current.unban_utc = None
 			g.db.add(current)
 		elif current.is_permabanned and not u.is_permabanned:
 			u.is_banned = current.is_banned
 			u.ban_reason = current.ban_reason
-			u.unban_utc = 0
+			u.unban_utc = None
 			g.db.add(u)
 
 		if current.ban_reason == "Under Siege" and u.ban_reason and u.ban_reason != "Under Siege":
diff --git a/files/routes/users.py b/files/routes/users.py
index 119e5a25f..c09dec6d0 100644
--- a/files/routes/users.py
+++ b/files/routes/users.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import gevent
 import qrcode
 from sqlalchemy.orm import aliased, load_only
 from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
+from sqlalchemy import nullslast
 
 from files.classes import *
 from files.classes.transactions import *
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ def banned(v):
 
 	users = g.db.query(User).filter(
 		User.is_banned != None,
-		or_(User.unban_utc == 0, User.unban_utc > time.time()),
+		or_(User.unban_utc == None, User.unban_utc > time.time()),
 	)
 
 	total = users.count()
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ def banned(v):
 		key = User.is_banned
 	else:
 		sort = "unban_utc"
-		key = User.unban_utc.desc()
+		key = nullslast(User.unban_utc)
 
 	users = users.order_by(key).offset(PAGE_SIZE * (page - 1)).limit(PAGE_SIZE)
 
diff --git a/migrations/20240203-order-unban-utc-properly.sql b/migrations/20240203-order-unban-utc-properly.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fcb1d9396
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20240203-order-unban-utc-properly.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+alter table users alter column unban_utc drop not null;
+update users set unban_utc=null where unban_utc=0;