diff --git a/luci-base/htdocs/luci-static/resources/form.js b/luci-base/htdocs/luci-static/resources/form.js
index ef2f18e35..58d8f7100 100644
--- a/luci-base/htdocs/luci-static/resources/form.js
+++ b/luci-base/htdocs/luci-static/resources/form.js
@@ -1460,7 +1460,7 @@ var CBIListValue = CBIValue.extend({
 			id: this.cbid(section_id),
 			size: this.size,
 			sort: this.keylist,
-			optional: this.optional,
+			optional: this.rmempty || this.optional,
 			placeholder: this.placeholder,
 			validate: L.bind(this.validate, this, section_id)
 		});
diff --git a/luci-base/luasrc/view/cbi/lvalue.htm b/luci-base/luasrc/view/cbi/lvalue.htm
index 89964563d..e07648835 100644
--- a/luci-base/luasrc/view/cbi/lvalue.htm
+++ b/luci-base/luasrc/view/cbi/lvalue.htm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 		sort = self.keylist,
 		widget = self.widget,
 		datatype = self.datatype,
-		optional = self.optional,
+		optional = self.optional or self.rmempty,
 		placeholder = self.placeholder
 	}
 }))%>></div>