diff --git a/model/fieldtypes/HTMLText.php b/model/fieldtypes/HTMLText.php
index e0c351089..59244741b 100644
--- a/model/fieldtypes/HTMLText.php
+++ b/model/fieldtypes/HTMLText.php
@@ -258,12 +258,11 @@ class HTMLText extends Text {
 	 * @return boolean
 	 */
 	public function exists() {
-		// If it's blank, it's blank
-		if(!parent::exists()) {
-			return false;
-		}
+		$value = $this->value;
 
-		$value = $this->RAW();
+		if (!$this->isPopulated($value)) {
+		    return false;
+        }
 
 		// If it's got a content tag
 		if(preg_match('/<(img|embed|object|iframe|meta|source|link)[^>]*>/i', $value)) {
diff --git a/model/fieldtypes/HTMLVarchar.php b/model/fieldtypes/HTMLVarchar.php
index 69df13fdc..dfb1531ca 100644
--- a/model/fieldtypes/HTMLVarchar.php
+++ b/model/fieldtypes/HTMLVarchar.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class HTMLVarchar extends Varchar {
 	}
 
 	public function exists() {
-		return parent::exists() && $this->RAW() != '<p></p>';
+	    return $this->isPopulated($this->value) && $this->value != '<p></p>';
 	}
 
 	public function scaffoldFormField($title = null, $params = null) {
diff --git a/model/fieldtypes/StringField.php b/model/fieldtypes/StringField.php
index 92bfc872a..b2b915258 100644
--- a/model/fieldtypes/StringField.php
+++ b/model/fieldtypes/StringField.php
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ abstract class StringField extends DBField {
 	 */
 	public function exists() {
 		$value = $this->RAW();
-		return $value // All truthy values exist
-			|| (is_string($value) && strlen($value)) // non-empty strings exist ('0' but not (int)0)
-			|| (!$this->getNullifyEmpty() && $value === ''); // Remove this stupid exemption in 4.0
+		return $this->isPopulated($value);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -229,4 +227,16 @@ abstract class StringField extends DBField {
 	public function NoHTML() {
 		return strip_tags($this->RAW());
 	}
+
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the value meets all the criteria of not being empty, as defined by
+     * the class
+     * @param $value
+     * @return bool
+     */
+	protected function isPopulated($value) {
+        return $value // All truthy values exist
+            || (is_string($value) && strlen($value)) // non-empty strings exist ('0' but not (int)0)
+            || (!$this->getNullifyEmpty() && $value === ''); // Remove this stupid exemption in 4.0
+    }
 }