diff --git a/resources/js/components/CharCount.vue b/resources/js/components/CharCount.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63dc1b7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/js/components/CharCount.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<template>
+  <span
+    v-if="maxChars"
+    class="text-xs"
+    :class="[
+      hasMaxChars && charCount > maxChars
+        ? 'font-medium text-red-600'
+        : 'text-grey-600',
+    ]"
+  >
+    {{ charCount }}
+    <span v-if="hasMaxChars">/ {{ maxChars }}</span>
+  </span>
+</template>
+
+<script lang="ts" setup>
+import { watch } from "vue";
+import { computed, ref } from "vue";
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+  text?: string;
+  maxChars?: number;
+}>();
+
+const charCount = ref<number>(props.text?.length ?? 0);
+
+const hasMaxChars = computed(() => {
+  return props.maxChars && props.maxChars > 0;
+});
+
+watch(
+  () => props.text,
+  () => {
+    updateCharCount();
+  },
+);
+
+const updateCharCount = () => {
+  if (props.text) {
+    charCount.value = props.text.length;
+  } else {
+    charCount.value = 0;
+  }
+};
+</script>
diff --git a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/InputAction.vue b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/InputAction.vue
index a71a6f1f..4d0b3e3e 100644
--- a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/InputAction.vue
+++ b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/InputAction.vue
@@ -21,9 +21,18 @@
       ref="inputElement"
       autocomplete="off"
       @input="onInput"
+      maxlength="100"
       v-once
     />
 
+    <CharCount
+      v-if="block.type === 'input-short'"
+      v-bind="{
+        text: inputText,
+        maxChars: 100,
+      }"
+    />
+
     <div
       class="absolute inset-y-px left-px flex w-12 items-center justify-center rounded bg-content/10 text-sm font-medium"
       v-if="useSymbol"
@@ -44,6 +53,7 @@ import { computed, ComputedRef, inject, onMounted, ref } from "vue";
 import { D9Icon } from "@deck9/ui";
 import { useConversation } from "@/stores/conversation";
 import { useFixedNumberFormatting } from "@/utils/useFixedNumberFormatting";
+import CharCount from "@/components/CharCount.vue";
 
 const store = useConversation();
 
@@ -54,7 +64,7 @@ const props = defineProps<{
 const disableFocus: ComputedRef<boolean> | undefined = inject("disableFocus");
 
 let storeValue = ref(
-  (store.currentPayload as FormBlockInteractionPayload)?.payload
+  (store.currentPayload as FormBlockInteractionPayload)?.payload,
 );
 
 // if we restore a value from the store, we need to format it
@@ -69,6 +79,7 @@ if (props.block.type === "input-number" && storeValue.value) {
 }
 
 const inputElement = ref<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
+const inputText = ref<string | undefined>(inputElement.value?.value);
 const stepValue = 1 / Math.pow(10, props.action.options?.decimalPlaces ?? 0);
 const useSymbol = ref(props.action.options?.useSymbol ?? false);
 
@@ -145,6 +156,8 @@ const onInput = (event) => {
 
   let input: string | number | null = inputElement.value.value;
 
+  inputText.value = input;
+
   if (input && props.block.type === "input-number") {
     const { output } = useFixedNumberFormatting(event, {
       decimalPlaces: props.action.options?.decimalPlaces ?? 0,
diff --git a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/TextareaAction.vue b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/TextareaAction.vue
index 14ef8da1..b3667294 100644
--- a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/TextareaAction.vue
+++ b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/TextareaAction.vue
@@ -16,32 +16,19 @@
       v-once
     >
     </textarea>
-
-    <span
-      v-if="action.options?.max_chars"
-      class="text-xs"
-      :class="[
-        hasMaxChars && charCount > action.options?.max_chars
-          ? 'font-medium text-red-600'
-          : 'text-grey-600',
-      ]"
-    >
-      {{ charCount }}
-      <span v-if="hasMaxChars">/ {{ action.options?.max_chars }}</span>
-    </span>
+    <CharCount
+      v-bind="{
+        text: inputText,
+        maxChars: action.options?.max_chars,
+      }"
+    />
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script lang="ts" setup>
-import {
-  computed,
-  ComputedRef,
-  inject,
-  onMounted,
-  onUnmounted,
-  ref,
-} from "vue";
+import { ComputedRef, inject, onMounted, onUnmounted, ref } from "vue";
 import { useConversation } from "@/stores/conversation";
+import CharCount from "@/components/CharCount.vue";
 
 const store = useConversation();
 
@@ -54,12 +41,11 @@ const disableFocus: ComputedRef<boolean> | undefined = inject("disableFocus");
 const storeValue = (store.currentPayload as FormBlockInteractionPayload)
   ?.payload;
 
-const charCount = ref<number>(0);
 const inputElement = ref<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
+const inputText = ref<string | undefined>(inputElement.value?.value);
 
 onMounted(() => {
   store.enableInputMode();
-  updateCharCount();
 
   if (!disableFocus?.value) {
     inputElement.value?.focus();
@@ -70,23 +56,9 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   store.disableInputMode();
 });
 
-const hasMaxChars = computed(() => {
-  return props.action.options?.max_chars && props.action.options?.max_chars > 0;
-});
-
-const updateCharCount = () => {
-  const input = inputElement.value?.value ?? null;
-
-  if (input) {
-    charCount.value = input.length;
-  } else {
-    charCount.value = 0;
-  }
-};
-
 const onInput = () => {
-  const input = inputElement.value?.value ?? null;
-  updateCharCount();
-  store.setResponse(props.action, input);
+  const input = inputElement.value?.value;
+  inputText.value = input;
+  store.setResponse(props.action, input ?? null);
 };
 </script>
diff --git a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/useInputAction.ts b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/useInputAction.ts
index 8cb96e00..30251e11 100644
--- a/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/useInputAction.ts
+++ b/resources/js/forms/classic/interactions/useInputAction.ts
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@ export function useInputAction(block: PublicFormBlockModel) {
     ].includes(block.type);
 
     const validator = (input: any) => {
-        const emailValidator = string().required().email();
-        const linkValidator = string().required().url();
-        const numberValidator = number().required();
+        const defaultValidator = string().max(100).required();
+        const emailValidator = string().max(100).required().email();
+        const linkValidator = string().max(100).required().url();
+        const numberValidator = number().max(100).required();
         const phoneValidator = string()
             .required()
             .min(7)
+            .max(100)
             .matches(/^[+]?(?:[0-9]+[\s-]?[0-9]+)+$/);
 
         switch (block.type) {
@@ -51,8 +53,10 @@ export function useInputAction(block: PublicFormBlockModel) {
                 };
             default:
                 return {
-                    valid: block.is_required ? input?.payload.length > 0 : true,
-                    message: "This field is required",
+                    valid:
+                        (!block.is_required && !input?.payload) ||
+                        defaultValidator.isValidSync(input?.payload),
+                    message: "Please enter a valid short text.",
                 };
         }
     };