diff --git a/src/validator.cpp b/src/validator.cpp
index 38288673..b2ea3e87 100644
--- a/src/validator.cpp
+++ b/src/validator.cpp
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ Option<uint32_t> validator_t::validate_index_in_memory(nlohmann::json& document,
             continue;
         }
 
-        if((a_field.optional || op == UPDATE || op == EMPLACE) && document.count(field_name) == 0) {
+        if((a_field.optional || op == UPDATE || (op == EMPLACE && is_update)) && document.count(field_name) == 0) {
             continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/collection_nested_fields_test.cpp b/test/collection_nested_fields_test.cpp
index 6def5d1a..98a94f37 100644
--- a/test/collection_nested_fields_test.cpp
+++ b/test/collection_nested_fields_test.cpp
@@ -2578,6 +2578,19 @@ TEST_F(CollectionNestedFieldsTest, EmplaceWithNullValueOnRequiredField) {
     ASSERT_TRUE(op.ok());
     Collection *coll1 = op.get();
 
+    auto doc_with_null = R"({
+      "id": "0",
+      "currency": {
+        "eu": null
+      }
+    })"_json;
+
+    auto add_op = coll1->add(doc_with_null.dump(), EMPLACE);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(add_op.ok());
+
+    add_op = coll1->add(doc_with_null.dump(), CREATE);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(add_op.ok());
+
     auto doc1 = R"({
       "id": "0",
       "currency": {
@@ -2585,7 +2598,7 @@ TEST_F(CollectionNestedFieldsTest, EmplaceWithNullValueOnRequiredField) {
       }
     })"_json;
 
-    auto add_op = coll1->add(doc1.dump(), CREATE);
+    add_op = coll1->add(doc1.dump(), CREATE);
     ASSERT_TRUE(add_op.ok());
 
     // now update with null value -- should not be allowed