diff --git a/engine/src/test/java/io/camunda/zeebe/engine/processing/deployment/DmnDeploymentTest.java b/engine/src/test/java/io/camunda/zeebe/engine/processing/deployment/DmnDeploymentTest.java
index 85d42d801ace..73b363d7b1d0 100644
--- a/engine/src/test/java/io/camunda/zeebe/engine/processing/deployment/DmnDeploymentTest.java
+++ b/engine/src/test/java/io/camunda/zeebe/engine/processing/deployment/DmnDeploymentTest.java
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ public final class DmnDeploymentTest {
       "/dmn/decision-table-with-invalid-expression.dmn";
   private static final String DMN_WITH_TWO_DECISIONS = "/dmn/drg-force-user.dmn";
 
+  private static final String DMN_MISSING_DECISION_NAME =
+      "/dmn/decision-table-with-missing-decision-name.dmn";
+
   @Rule public final EngineRule engine = EngineRule.singlePartition();
 
   @Rule
@@ -118,6 +121,25 @@ public void shouldRejectInvalidDmnResource() {
         .contains("FEEL unary-tests: failed to parse expression");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void shouldRejectDmnResourceWithMissingDecisionName() {
+    // when
+    final var deploymentEvent =
+        engine
+            .deployment()
+            .withXmlClasspathResource(DMN_MISSING_DECISION_NAME)
+            .expectRejection()
+            .deploy();
+
+    // then
+    Assertions.assertThat(deploymentEvent)
+        .hasIntent(DeploymentIntent.CREATE)
+        .hasRecordType(RecordType.COMMAND_REJECTION)
+        .hasRejectionType(RejectionType.INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+
+    assertThat(deploymentEvent.getRejectionReason()).contains("because \"value\" is null");
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void shouldWriteDecisionRequirementsRecord() {
     // when
diff --git a/engine/src/test/resources/dmn/decision-table-with-missing-decision-name.dmn b/engine/src/test/resources/dmn/decision-table-with-missing-decision-name.dmn
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..74c6e17cae97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engine/src/test/resources/dmn/decision-table-with-missing-decision-name.dmn
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<definitions xmlns="https://www.omg.org/spec/DMN/20191111/MODEL/" id="_6f87b3aa-d613-4c41-93ad-832f021c8318" name="definitions" namespace="http://camunda.org/schema/1.0/dmn">
+  <decision id="_51711_44808585-3491-42a8-87ea-3c4fcda46eff" name="">
+    <decisionTable id="_07c6fdc3-7bdf-459a-a016-2ae12e474bd2">
+      <input id="_f00d0717-d08a-4918-ad51-568788e92038" label="Percent Responsible (Loan Roles)">
+        <inputExpression id="_0b922041-84c3-47bf-b94c-1dd423c394ae" typeRef="number">
+          <text>proposedLoan.loanRoles.percentResponsible</text>
+        </inputExpression>
+      </input>
+      <output id="_b304292d-98e5-4dde-8fbd-0de1981c97ea" label="" name="out" typeRef="string">
+        <outputValues id="UnaryTests_1yu7moy">
+          <text>"Approve","Decline","Review"</text>
+        </outputValues>
+      </output>
+      <rule id="DecisionRule_1j6jzzn">
+        <inputEntry id="UnaryTests_105fhm8">
+          <text></text>
+        </inputEntry>
+        <outputEntry id="LiteralExpression_1ucr6zl">
+          <text>"Approve"</text>
+        </outputEntry>
+      </rule>
+    </decisionTable>
+  </decision>
+</definitions>
diff --git a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRecord.java b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRecord.java
index 4e32b641ecf2..c51cef6001dd 100644
--- a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRecord.java
+++ b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRecord.java
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@
 
 public final class DecisionRecord extends UnifiedRecordValue implements DecisionRecordValue {
 
-  private final StringProperty decisionIdProp = new StringProperty("decisionId");
-  private final StringProperty decisionNameProp = new StringProperty("decisionName");
-  private final IntegerProperty versionProp = new IntegerProperty("version");
-  private final LongProperty decisionKeyProp = new LongProperty("decisionKey");
+  private final StringProperty decisionIdProp = new StringProperty("decisionId", "");
+  private final StringProperty decisionNameProp = new StringProperty("decisionName", "");
+  private final IntegerProperty versionProp = new IntegerProperty("version", -1);
+  private final LongProperty decisionKeyProp = new LongProperty("decisionKey", -1);
 
   private final StringProperty decisionRequirementsIdProp =
-      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId");
+      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId", "");
   private final LongProperty decisionRequirementsKeyProp =
-      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey");
+      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey", -1);
 
   private final BooleanProperty isDuplicateProp = new BooleanProperty("isDuplicate", false);
   private final StringProperty tenantIdProp =
diff --git a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsMetadataRecord.java b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsMetadataRecord.java
index f7d32f157f29..eb2d2811a1ae 100644
--- a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsMetadataRecord.java
+++ b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsMetadataRecord.java
@@ -20,22 +20,23 @@
 import io.camunda.zeebe.protocol.record.value.TenantOwned;
 import io.camunda.zeebe.protocol.record.value.deployment.DecisionRequirementsMetadataValue;
 import org.agrona.DirectBuffer;
+import org.agrona.concurrent.UnsafeBuffer;
 
 public class DecisionRequirementsMetadataRecord extends UnifiedRecordValue
     implements DecisionRequirementsMetadataValue {
 
   private final StringProperty decisionRequirementsIdProp =
-      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId");
+      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId", "");
   private final StringProperty decisionRequirementsNameProp =
-      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsName");
+      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsName", "");
   private final IntegerProperty decisionRequirementsVersionProp =
-      new IntegerProperty("decisionRequirementsVersion");
+      new IntegerProperty("decisionRequirementsVersion", -1);
   private final LongProperty decisionRequirementsKeyProp =
-      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey");
-  private final StringProperty namespaceProp = new StringProperty("namespace");
+      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey", -1);
+  private final StringProperty namespaceProp = new StringProperty("namespace", "");
 
-  private final StringProperty resourceNameProp = new StringProperty("resourceName");
-  private final BinaryProperty checksumProp = new BinaryProperty("checksum");
+  private final StringProperty resourceNameProp = new StringProperty("resourceName", "");
+  private final BinaryProperty checksumProp = new BinaryProperty("checksum", new UnsafeBuffer());
 
   private final BooleanProperty isDuplicateProp = new BooleanProperty("isDuplicate", false);
   private final StringProperty tenantIdProp =
diff --git a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsRecord.java b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsRecord.java
index 651f41091d83..ee9608362cbb 100644
--- a/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsRecord.java
+++ b/protocol-impl/src/main/java/io/camunda/zeebe/protocol/impl/record/value/deployment/DecisionRequirementsRecord.java
@@ -19,23 +19,24 @@
 import io.camunda.zeebe.protocol.record.value.TenantOwned;
 import io.camunda.zeebe.protocol.record.value.deployment.DecisionRequirementsRecordValue;
 import org.agrona.DirectBuffer;
+import org.agrona.concurrent.UnsafeBuffer;
 
 public final class DecisionRequirementsRecord extends UnifiedRecordValue
     implements DecisionRequirementsRecordValue {
 
   private final StringProperty decisionRequirementsIdProp =
-      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId");
+      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsId", "");
   private final StringProperty decisionRequirementsNameProp =
-      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsName");
+      new StringProperty("decisionRequirementsName", "");
   private final IntegerProperty decisionRequirementsVersionProp =
-      new IntegerProperty("decisionRequirementsVersion");
+      new IntegerProperty("decisionRequirementsVersion", -1);
   private final LongProperty decisionRequirementsKeyProp =
-      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey");
+      new LongProperty("decisionRequirementsKey", -1);
   private final StringProperty namespaceProp = new StringProperty("namespace", "");
 
-  private final StringProperty resourceNameProp = new StringProperty("resourceName");
-  private final BinaryProperty checksumProp = new BinaryProperty("checksum");
-  private final BinaryProperty resourceProp = new BinaryProperty("resource");
+  private final StringProperty resourceNameProp = new StringProperty("resourceName", "");
+  private final BinaryProperty checksumProp = new BinaryProperty("checksum", new UnsafeBuffer());
+  private final BinaryProperty resourceProp = new BinaryProperty("resource", new UnsafeBuffer());
   private final StringProperty tenantIdProp =
       new StringProperty("tenantId", TenantOwned.DEFAULT_TENANT_IDENTIFIER);