diff --git a/include/field.h b/include/field.h
index 1dae7278..4a1a5e59 100644
--- a/include/field.h
+++ b/include/field.h
@@ -119,7 +119,11 @@ struct field {
     }
 
     bool is_dynamic() const {
-         return type == "string*" || (name != ".*" && name.find(".*") != std::string::npos);
+         return is_dynamic(name, type);
+    }
+
+    static bool is_dynamic(const std::string& name, const std::string& type) {
+        return type == "string*" || (name != ".*" && name.find(".*") != std::string::npos);
     }
 
     bool has_numerical_index() const {
@@ -231,6 +235,10 @@ struct field {
             }
 
             if(field.is_dynamic() && !field.optional) {
+                if(field_types::is_string_or_array(field.type)) {
+                    return Option<bool>(400, "Field `" + field.name + "` must be an optional field.");
+                }
+
                 return Option<bool>(400, "Field `" + field.name + "` with wildcard name must be an optional field.");
             }
 
@@ -368,10 +376,9 @@ struct field {
                 field_json[fields::locale] = "";
             }
 
-            bool is_dynamic = field_json[fields::name].get<std::string>().find(".*") != std::string::npos;
-
             if(field_json.count(fields::optional) == 0) {
                 // dynamic fields are always optional
+                bool is_dynamic = field::is_dynamic(field_json[fields::name], field_json[fields::type]);
                 field_json[fields::optional] = is_dynamic;
             }
 
diff --git a/test/collection_all_fields_test.cpp b/test/collection_all_fields_test.cpp
index 5ddc842f..e84b5ed2 100644
--- a/test/collection_all_fields_test.cpp
+++ b/test/collection_all_fields_test.cpp
@@ -552,6 +552,21 @@ TEST_F(CollectionAllFieldsTest, JsonFieldsToFieldsConversion) {
     ASSERT_EQ(".*", fields[0].name);
     ASSERT_EQ("string*", fields[0].type);
 
+    // non-wildcard string* field should be treated as optional by default
+    fields_json = nlohmann::json::array();
+    nlohmann::json string_star_field;
+    string_star_field[fields::name] = "title";
+    string_star_field[fields::type] = "string*";
+    fields_json.emplace_back(string_star_field);
+    fields.clear();
+
+    parse_op = field::json_fields_to_fields(fields_json, fallback_field_type, fields);
+    ASSERT_TRUE(parse_op.ok());
+    ASSERT_EQ(true, fields[0].optional);
+
+    fields_json = nlohmann::json::array();
+    fields_json.emplace_back(all_field);
+
     // reject when you try to set geo property on * field
     fields_json[0][fields::geo_resolution] = 10;
     parse_op = field::json_fields_to_fields(fields_json, fallback_field_type, fields);
@@ -782,6 +797,14 @@ TEST_F(CollectionAllFieldsTest, DynamicFieldsMustOnlyBeOptional) {
     ASSERT_FALSE(op.ok());
     ASSERT_EQ("Field `.*_name` with wildcard name must be an optional field.", op.error());
 
+    // string* fields should only be optional
+    std::vector<field> bad_fields2 = {field("title", field_types::STRING, true),
+                                      field("name", "string*", true, false),};
+
+    op = collectionManager.create_collection("coll1", 1, bad_fields2, "", 0);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(op.ok());
+    ASSERT_EQ("Field `name` must be an optional field.", op.error());
+
     std::vector<field> fields = {field("title", field_types::STRING, true),
                                  field(".*_name", field_types::STRING, true, true),};