diff --git a/src/AbstractDbValidator.php b/src/AbstractDbValidator.php
index b77f8d2..7cec8f2 100644
--- a/src/AbstractDbValidator.php
+++ b/src/AbstractDbValidator.php
@@ -33,15 +33,14 @@ abstract class AbstractDbValidator extends AbstractValidator implements AdapterA
     /**
      * Error constants
      */
-    public const ERROR_NO_RECORD_FOUND = 'noRecordFound';
-    public const ERROR_RECORD_FOUND    = 'recordFound';
+    public const string ERROR_NO_RECORD_FOUND = 'noRecordFound';
+    public const string ERROR_RECORD_FOUND    = 'recordFound';
 
     /**
      * Message templates.
      *
      * @var array<string, string>
      */
-    // @mago-ignore analysis:incompatible-property-type
     public array $messageTemplates = [
         self::ERROR_NO_RECORD_FOUND => 'No record matching the input was found',
         self::ERROR_RECORD_FOUND    => 'A record matching the input was found',
@@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ public function getTable(): string
     /**
      * Run query and returns matches, or null if no matches are found.
      *
-     * @return mixed when matches are found.
+     * @return mixed when matches are found; null when there are none (PDO reports no rows as false).
      */
     protected function query(mixed $value): mixed
     {
@@ -180,6 +179,8 @@ protected function query(mixed $value): mixed
             $parameters['where1'] = $value;
         }
 
-        return $statement->execute()?->current();
+        $row = $statement->execute()?->current();
+
+        return false === $row ? null : $row;
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/NoRecordExistsTest.php b/test/unit/NoRecordExistsTest.php
index 7656a03..770106a 100644
--- a/test/unit/NoRecordExistsTest.php
+++ b/test/unit/NoRecordExistsTest.php
@@ -137,6 +137,22 @@ public function excludeWithStringNoRecord()
         static::assertTrue($validator->isValid('nosuchvalue'));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * PDO reports "no rows" as false rather than null; that must still count as no record.
+     *
+     * @throws Exception
+     */
+    #[Test]
+    public function noRowsReportedAsFalseFindsNoRecord(): void
+    {
+        $validator = new NoRecordExists([
+            'table'   => 'users',
+            'field'   => 'field1',
+            'adapter' => $this->getMockNoResult(false),
+        ]);
+        static::assertTrue($validator->isValid('nosuchvalue'));
+    }
+
     /**
      * @throws Exception
      */
@@ -241,13 +257,13 @@ protected function getMockHasResult(): Adapter
      *
      * @throws Exception
      */
-    protected function getMockNoResult(): Adapter
+    protected function getMockNoResult(mixed $current = null): Adapter
     {
         // mock the adapter, driver, and parts
         $mockConnection = $this->createMock(ConnectionInterface::class);
 
         $mockNoResult = $this->createMock(ResultInterface::class);
-        $mockNoResult->method('current')->willReturn(null);
+        $mockNoResult->method('current')->willReturn($current);
 
         $mockNoResultStatement = $this->createMock(StatementInterface::class);
         $mockNoResultStatement->method('execute')->willReturn($mockNoResult);