diff --git a/src/Query/EloquentQueryBuilder.php b/src/Query/EloquentQueryBuilder.php
index ccbeb44ae4..f4ff60b852 100644
--- a/src/Query/EloquentQueryBuilder.php
+++ b/src/Query/EloquentQueryBuilder.php
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public function where($column, $operator = null, $value = null, $boolean = 'and'
             return $this->whereNested($column, $boolean);
         }
 
-        if (strtolower($operator) == 'like') {
+        if ($operator !== null && strtolower($operator) == 'like') {
             $grammar = $this->builder->getConnection()->getQueryGrammar();
             $this->builder->whereRaw('LOWER('.$grammar->wrap($this->column($column)).') LIKE ?', strtolower($value), $boolean);