diff --git a/packages/nocodb/src/helpers/columnHelpers.ts b/packages/nocodb/src/helpers/columnHelpers.ts
index 9c7f80e6ef..66192845d4 100644
--- a/packages/nocodb/src/helpers/columnHelpers.ts
+++ b/packages/nocodb/src/helpers/columnHelpers.ts
@@ -264,5 +264,10 @@ export async function populateRollupForLTAR({
 }
 
 export const sanitizeColumnName = (name: string) => {
-  return name.replace(/\W+/g, '_').trim();
+  const columnName = name.replace(/\W+/g, '_').trim();
+
+  // if column name only contains _ then return as 'field'
+  if (/^_+$/.test(columnName)) return 'field';
+
+  return columnName;
 };
diff --git a/packages/nocodb/src/services/columns.service.ts b/packages/nocodb/src/services/columns.service.ts
index 5748e17ad9..d08417cb35 100644
--- a/packages/nocodb/src/services/columns.service.ts
+++ b/packages/nocodb/src/services/columns.service.ts
@@ -123,10 +123,7 @@ export class ColumnsService {
       param.column.column_name = sanitizeColumnName(param.column.column_name);
     }
 
-    if (
-      param.column.column_name &&
-      param.column.column_name.length > mxColumnLength
-    ) {
+    if (param.column.column_name) {
       // - 5 is a buffer for suffix
       let colName = param.column.column_name.slice(0, mxColumnLength - 5);
       let suffix = 1;
@@ -1069,10 +1066,7 @@ export class ColumnsService {
         param.column.column_name = sanitizeColumnName(param.column.column_name);
       }
 
-      if (
-        param.column.column_name &&
-        param.column.column_name.length > mxColumnLength
-      ) {
+      if (param.column.column_name) {
         // - 5 is a buffer for suffix
         let colName = param.column.column_name.slice(0, mxColumnLength - 5);
         let suffix = 1;