diff --git a/app/models/repository_cell.rb b/app/models/repository_cell.rb
index 32ac210c6..93708f89d 100644
--- a/app/models/repository_cell.rb
+++ b/app/models/repository_cell.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class RepositoryCell < ApplicationRecord
   private
 
   def repository_column_data_type
-    if !repository_column || value_type != repository_column.data_type
+    if !repository_column || value.class.name != repository_column.data_type
       errors.add(:value_type, 'must match column data type')
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/factories/repository_date_time_values.rb b/spec/factories/repository_date_time_values.rb
index b44c26c51..609ee1242 100644
--- a/spec/factories/repository_date_time_values.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/repository_date_time_values.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 FactoryBot.define do
-  factory :repository_date_time_value do
+  factory :repository_date_time_value_base do
     created_by { create :user }
     last_modified_by { created_by }
     data { Time.zone.now }
+  end
 
+  factory :repository_date_time_value, parent: :repository_date_time_value_base, class: 'RepositoryDateTimeValue' do
     after(:build) do |value|
       value.repository_cell ||= build(:repository_cell, :date_time_value, repository_date_time_value: value)
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/repository_date_time_value_spec.rb b/spec/models/repository_date_time_value_spec.rb
index 607238209..3aadfeb48 100644
--- a/spec/models/repository_date_time_value_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/repository_date_time_value_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe RepositoryDateTimeValue, type: :model do
-  let(:repository_date_time_value) { create :repository_date_time_value }
+  let(:repository_date_time_value) { build :repository_date_time_value }
 
   it 'is valid' do
     expect(repository_date_time_value).to be_valid