diff --git a/src/operations/create_account.js b/src/operations/create_account.js
index b2662643e..4f2bc977a 100644
--- a/src/operations/create_account.js
+++ b/src/operations/create_account.js
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ export function createAccount(opts) {
   if (!StrKey.isValidEd25519PublicKey(opts.destination)) {
     throw new Error('destination is invalid');
   }
-  if (!this.isValidAmount(opts.startingBalance)) {
+  if (!this.isValidAmount(opts.startingBalance, true)) {
     throw new TypeError(
-      this.constructAmountRequirementsError('startingBalance')
+      'startingBalance must be of type String, represent a non-negative number and have at most 7 digits after the decimal'
     );
   }
   const attributes = {};
diff --git a/test/unit/operation_test.js b/test/unit/operation_test.js
index 016034289..45bc58813 100644
--- a/test/unit/operation_test.js
+++ b/test/unit/operation_test.js
@@ -39,6 +39,17 @@ describe('Operation', function() {
       );
     });
 
+    it('creates a createAccount operation with startingBalance equal to 0', function() {
+      let opts = {
+        destination: 'GCEZWKCA5VLDNRLN3RPRJMRZOX3Z6G5CHCGSNFHEYVXM3XOJMDS674JZ',
+        startingBalance: '0',
+        source: 'GCEZWKCA5VLDNRLN3RPRJMRZOX3Z6G5CHCGSNFHEYVXM3XOJMDS674JZ'
+      };
+      expect(() => StellarBase.Operation.createAccount(opts)).not.to.throw(
+        /startingBalance must be of type String, represent a non-negative number and have at most 7 digits after the decimal/
+      );
+    });
+
     it('fails to create createAccount operation with an invalid startingBalance', function() {
       let opts = {
         destination: 'GCEZWKCA5VLDNRLN3RPRJMRZOX3Z6G5CHCGSNFHEYVXM3XOJMDS674JZ',
@@ -46,7 +57,7 @@ describe('Operation', function() {
         source: 'GCEZWKCA5VLDNRLN3RPRJMRZOX3Z6G5CHCGSNFHEYVXM3XOJMDS674JZ'
       };
       expect(() => StellarBase.Operation.createAccount(opts)).to.throw(
-        /startingBalance argument must be of type String, represent a positive number and have at most 7 digits after the decimal/
+        /startingBalance must be of type String, represent a non-negative number and have at most 7 digits after the decimal/
       );
     });