diff --git a/app/models/purchase.rb b/app/models/purchase.rb
index 4cfa2bb0fd..3b8a25e087 100644
--- a/app/models/purchase.rb
+++ b/app/models/purchase.rb
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ def purchased_from_view
     vendor.nil? ? purchased_from : vendor.business_name
   end
 
+  def comment_view
+    comment.nil? ? "" : comment
+  end
+
   # @return [Integer]
   def amount_spent_in_dollars
     amount_spent.dollars.to_f
diff --git a/spec/models/purchase_spec.rb b/spec/models/purchase_spec.rb
index abd0ae7d69..9503ab4bad 100644
--- a/spec/models/purchase_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/purchase_spec.rb
@@ -156,6 +156,21 @@
         expect(purchase.storage_view).to eq("Smithsonian Conservation Center")
       end
     end
+
+    describe "comment_view" do
+      context "when comment is nil" do
+        let!(:purchase) { create(:purchase, :with_items, comment: nil) }
+        it "returns empty string" do
+          expect(purchase.comment_view).to eq("")
+        end
+      end
+      context "when comment is present" do
+        let!(:purchase) { create(:purchase, :with_items, comment: "This is a comment") }
+        it "returns comment" do
+          expect(purchase.comment_view).to eq("This is a comment")
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe "versioning" do