diff --git a/src/Database/Migrations/2026-07-20-181246_ConvertSqlsrvValueColumn.php b/src/Database/Migrations/2026-07-20-181246_ConvertSqlsrvValueColumn.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf86ef1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Database/Migrations/2026-07-20-181246_ConvertSqlsrvValueColumn.php
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace CodeIgniter\Settings\Database\Migrations;
+
+use CodeIgniter\Database\Forge;
+use CodeIgniter\Database\Migration;
+use CodeIgniter\Settings\Config\Settings;
+
+class ConvertSqlsrvValueColumn extends Migration
+{
+    private readonly Settings $config;
+
+    public function __construct(?Forge $forge = null)
+    {
+        $this->config  = config('Settings');
+        $this->DBGroup = $this->config->database['group'] ?? null;
+
+        parent::__construct($forge);
+    }
+
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->db->getPlatform() !== 'SQLSRV') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->forge->modifyColumn($this->config->database['table'], [
+            'value' => [
+                'type'       => 'VARCHAR',
+                'constraint' => 'MAX',
+                'null'       => true,
+            ],
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->db->getPlatform() !== 'SQLSRV') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->forge->modifyColumn($this->config->database['table'], [
+            'value' => [
+                'type' => 'TEXT',
+                'null' => true,
+            ],
+        ]);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Handlers/BaseHandler.php b/src/Handlers/BaseHandler.php
index 8649c7a..3a6cfc5 100644
--- a/src/Handlers/BaseHandler.php
+++ b/src/Handlers/BaseHandler.php
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public function persistPendingProperties(): void
     protected function prepareValue($value)
     {
         if (is_bool($value)) {
-            return (int) $value;
+            return $value ? '1' : '0';
         }
 
         if (is_array($value) || is_object($value)) {
diff --git a/tests/BaseHandlerTest.php b/tests/BaseHandlerTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..955c947
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/BaseHandlerTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Tests;
+
+use CodeIgniter\Settings\Handlers\ArrayHandler;
+use Tests\Support\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ */
+final class BaseHandlerTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function testPrepareValueSerializesBooleansAsStrings(): void
+    {
+        $prepareValue = self::getPrivateMethodInvoker(new ArrayHandler(), 'prepareValue');
+
+        $this->assertSame('1', $prepareValue(true));
+        $this->assertSame('0', $prepareValue(false));
+    }
+}