diff --git a/packages/builder/src/builderStore/dataBinding.js b/packages/builder/src/builderStore/dataBinding.js
index 3389e20d40..a19646e6fd 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/builderStore/dataBinding.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/builderStore/dataBinding.js
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ function bindingReplacement(bindableProperties, textWithBindings, convertTo) {
           idx = searchString.indexOf(from)
           if (idx !== -1) {
             let end = idx + from.length,
-              searchReplace = Array(binding[convertTo].length).join("*")
+              searchReplace = Array(binding[convertTo].length + 1).join("*")
             // blank out parts of the search string
             searchString = replaceBetween(searchString, idx, end, searchReplace)
             newBoundValue = replaceBetween(
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
index 29c3ad2022..2c8ae25abe 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@
   const checkValidity = async (values, validator) => {
     const obj = object().shape(validator)
     Object.keys(validator).forEach(key => ($errors[key] = null))
+    if (template?.fromFile && values.file == null) {
+      valid = false
+      return
+    }
+
     try {
       await obj.validate(values, { abortEarly: false })
     } catch (validationErrors) {
@@ -73,6 +78,7 @@
         $errors[error.path] = capitalise(error.message)
       })
     }
+
     valid = await obj.isValid(values)
   }