diff --git a/src/administrator/components/com_weblinks/src/Table/WeblinkTable.php b/src/administrator/components/com_weblinks/src/Table/WeblinkTable.php
index 738733c..0ecb994 100644
--- a/src/administrator/components/com_weblinks/src/Table/WeblinkTable.php
+++ b/src/administrator/components/com_weblinks/src/Table/WeblinkTable.php
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ class WeblinkTable extends Table implements VersionableTableInterface, TaggableT
 			{
 				$this->created_by = $user->id;
 			}
+	
+			if (empty($this->hits))
+			{
+				$this->hits = 0;
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Set publish_up to null date if not set
@@ -107,7 +112,7 @@ class WeblinkTable extends Table implements VersionableTableInterface, TaggableT
 		// Verify that the alias is unique
 		$table = new WeblinkTable($this->getDbo());
 
-		if ($table->load(array('language' => $this->language, 'alias' => $this->alias, 'catid' => $this->catid))
+		if ($table->load(array('language' => $this->language, 'alias' => $this->alias, 'catid' => (int)$this->catid))
 			&& ($table->id != $this->id || $this->id == 0))
 		{
 			$this->setError(Text::_('COM_WEBLINKS_ERROR_UNIQUE_ALIAS'));