diff --git a/code/Model/EditableFormField.php b/code/Model/EditableFormField.php
index b85c67d..fd2f6d1 100755
--- a/code/Model/EditableFormField.php
+++ b/code/Model/EditableFormField.php
@@ -413,6 +413,11 @@ class EditableFormField extends DataObject
     {
         parent::onBeforeWrite();
 
+        $formField = $this->getFormField();
+        if ($formField && !$formField->hasData()) {
+            $this->Required = false;
+        }
+
         // Set a field name.
         if (!$this->Name) {
             // New random name
diff --git a/tests/Model/EditableFormFieldTest.php b/tests/Model/EditableFormFieldTest.php
index a159384..3058c86 100644
--- a/tests/Model/EditableFormFieldTest.php
+++ b/tests/Model/EditableFormFieldTest.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableCheckbox;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableDropdown;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableFileField;
+use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableLiteralField;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableOption;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableRadioField;
 use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableFormField\EditableTextField;
@@ -292,4 +293,20 @@ class EditableFormFieldTest extends FunctionalTest
         $field = $this->objFromFixture(EditableTextField::class, $fieldName);
         $this->assertEquals($expected, $field->isDisplayed($data));
     }
+
+    public function testChangingDataFieldTypeToDatalessRemovesRequiredSetting()
+    {
+        $requiredTextField = $this->objFromFixture(EditableTextField::class, 'required-text');
+        $fieldId = $requiredTextField->ID;
+        $this->assertTrue((bool)$requiredTextField->Required);
+
+        $literalField = $requiredTextField->newClassInstance(EditableLiteralField::class);
+        $this->assertTrue((bool)$literalField->Required);
+
+        $literalField->write();
+        $this->assertFalse((bool)$literalField->Required);
+
+        $updatedField = EditableFormField::get()->byId($fieldId);
+        $this->assertFalse((bool)$updatedField->Required);
+    }
 }