diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/KeywordValidation.cpp b/opm/simulators/flow/KeywordValidation.cpp
index 5eacd78cd..8683308c1 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/KeywordValidation.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/KeywordValidation.cpp
@@ -129,14 +129,16 @@ namespace KeywordValidation
                     // Find the index number, which starts counting at one, so item_index + 1
                     const auto& item_properties = keyword_properties->second.find(item_index + 1);
                     if (item_properties != keyword_properties->second.end()) {
-                        // Validate the item, if it is partially supported.
-                        validateKeywordItem<T>(keyword,
-                                               item_properties->second,
-                                               keyword.size() > 1,
-                                               record_index,
-                                               item_index,
-                                               item.get<T>(0),
-                                               errors);
+                        if (item.hasValue(0)) {
+                            // Validate the item, if it is partially supported.
+                            validateKeywordItem<T>(keyword,
+                                                   item_properties->second,
+                                                   keyword.size() > 1,
+                                                   record_index,
+                                                   item_index,
+                                                   item.get<T>(0),
+                                                   errors);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/tests/test_keyword_validator.cpp b/tests/test_keyword_validator.cpp
index 153b8d18d..0d1c44194 100644
--- a/tests/test_keyword_validator.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_keyword_validator.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,15 @@ const PartiallySupportedKeywords<std::string> test_string_items = {
     {
         "PINCH",
         {
-            {2, {false, allow_values<std::string>{"GAP", "BAR"}, std::nullopt}}, // GAP
-            {4, {true, allow_values<std::string>{"TOPBOT"}, "This is a critical error"}}, // PINCHOUT_OPTION
+            {2, {false, allow_values<std::string> {"GAP", "BAR"}, std::nullopt}}, // GAP
+            {4, {true, allow_values<std::string> {"TOPBOT"}, "This is a critical error"}}, // PINCHOUT_OPTION
+        },
+    },
+    {
+        "EQLOPTS",
+        {
+            {1, {false, allow_values<std::string> {}, std::nullopt}},
+            {3, {false, allow_values<std::string> {"THPRESS"}, std::nullopt}},
         },
     },
 };
@@ -51,15 +58,15 @@ const PartiallySupportedKeywords<int> test_int_items = {
     {
         "ENDSCALE",
         {
-            {3, {false, allow_values<int>{1}, std::nullopt}}, // NTENDP
-            {4, {true, allow_values<int>{20, 30, 40}, std::nullopt}}, // NSENDP
+            {3, {false, allow_values<int> {1}, std::nullopt}}, // NTENDP
+            {4, {true, allow_values<int> {20, 30, 40}, std::nullopt}}, // NSENDP
         },
     },
     {
         "COMPDAT",
         {
-            {2, {false, allow_values<int>{1}, std::nullopt}}, // I
-            {3, {false, allow_values<int>{1}, std::nullopt}}, // J
+            {2, {false, allow_values<int> {1}, std::nullopt}}, // I
+            {3, {false, allow_values<int> {1}, std::nullopt}}, // J
         },
     },
 };
@@ -70,12 +77,13 @@ const PartiallySupportedKeywords<double> test_double_items = {
         "EHYSTR",
         {
             {1, {false, [](double x) { return x > 0; }, std::nullopt}},
-            {3, {false, allow_values<double>{1.0, 2.0}, std::nullopt}},
+            {3, {false, allow_values<double> {1.0, 2.0}, std::nullopt}},
         },
     },
 };
 
 
+
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(non_critical_keyword)
 {
     const auto keywords_string = std::string {R"(
@@ -513,3 +521,53 @@ ENDSCALE
                    "  In file: <memory string>, line 4\n"
                    "  This is a critical error");
 }
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(keyword_without_default)
+{
+    const auto keywords_string = std::string {R"(
+EQLOPTS
+   1* /
+)"};
+    const auto deck = Parser {}.parseString(keywords_string);
+    const auto& test_keyword = deck.getKeyword("EQLOPTS");
+    KeywordValidator validator(test_unsupported_keywords, test_string_items, test_int_items, test_double_items);
+    std::vector<ValidationError> errors;
+    validator.validateDeckKeyword(test_keyword, errors);
+    BOOST_CHECK(errors.size() == 0);
+}
+
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(keyword_without_default_with_wrong_value)
+{
+    const auto keywords_string = std::string {R"(
+EQLOPTS
+   FOO /
+)"};
+    const auto deck = Parser {}.parseString(keywords_string);
+    const auto& test_keyword = deck.getKeyword("EQLOPTS");
+    KeywordValidator validator(test_unsupported_keywords, test_string_items, test_int_items, test_double_items);
+    std::vector<ValidationError> errors;
+    validator.validateDeckKeyword(test_keyword, errors);
+    BOOST_CHECK(errors.size() == 1);
+    BOOST_CHECK(errors[0].item_number == 1);
+    BOOST_CHECK(errors[0].item_value == "FOO");
+    BOOST_CHECK(!errors[0].user_message);
+}
+
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(keyword_without_default_with_correct_value)
+{
+    const auto keywords_string = std::string {R"(
+EQLOPTS
+   1* 1* THPRESS /
+)"};
+    const auto deck = Parser {}.parseString(keywords_string);
+    const auto& test_keyword = deck.getKeyword("EQLOPTS");
+    KeywordValidator validator(test_unsupported_keywords, test_string_items, test_int_items, test_double_items);
+    std::vector<ValidationError> errors;
+    validator.validateDeckKeyword(test_keyword, errors);
+    BOOST_CHECK(errors.size() == 0);
+}