diff --git a/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/BaseSettingsProvider.php b/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/BaseSettingsProvider.php
index 7bb6442..df92747 100644
--- a/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/BaseSettingsProvider.php
+++ b/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/BaseSettingsProvider.php
@@ -163,18 +163,22 @@ class BaseSettingsProvider
         $setting['error'] = false;
         if (!$skipValidation) {
             $validationResult = true;
-            if (!isset($setting['value'])) {
-                $validationResult = $this->settingValidator->testEmptyBecomesDefault(null, $setting);
-            } else if (isset($setting['test'])) {
-                $setting['value'] = $setting['value'] ?? '';
-                $validationResult = $this->evaluateFunctionForSetting($setting['test'], $setting);
-            }
-            if ($validationResult !== true) {
-                $setting['severity'] = $setting['severity'] ?? 'warning';
-                if (!in_array($setting['severity'], $this->severities)) {
-                    $setting['severity'] = 'warning';
+            if (empty($setting['value']) && !empty($setting['empty'])) {
+                $validationResult = true;
+            } else {
+                if (!isset($setting['value'])) {
+                    $validationResult = $this->settingValidator->testEmptyBecomesDefault(null, $setting);
+                } else if (isset($setting['test'])) {
+                    $setting['value'] = $setting['value'] ?? '';
+                    $validationResult = $this->evaluateFunctionForSetting($setting['test'], $setting);
+                }
+                if ($validationResult !== true) {
+                    $setting['severity'] = $setting['severity'] ?? 'warning';
+                    if (!in_array($setting['severity'], $this->severities)) {
+                        $setting['severity'] = 'warning';
+                    }
+                    $setting['errorMessage'] = $validationResult;
                 }
-                $setting['errorMessage'] = $validationResult;
             }
             $setting['error'] = $validationResult !== true ? true : false;
         }
diff --git a/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/CerebrateSettingsProvider.php b/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/CerebrateSettingsProvider.php
index d073e92..61f6993 100644
--- a/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/CerebrateSettingsProvider.php
+++ b/src/Model/Table/SettingProviders/CerebrateSettingsProvider.php
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ class CerebrateSettingsProvider extends BaseSettingsProvider
                             'type' => 'string',
                             'description' => __('The hostname of an HTTP proxy for outgoing sync requests. Leave empty to not use a proxy.'),
                             'test' => 'testHostname',
+                            'empty' => true
                         ],
                         'Proxy.port' => [
                             'name' => __('Port'),
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ class CerebrateSettingsProvider extends BaseSettingsProvider
                             'type' => 'integer',
                             'description' => __('The TCP port for the HTTP proxy.'),
                             'test' => 'testForRangeXY',
+                            'empty' => true
                         ],
                         'Proxy.user' => [
                             'name' => __('User'),
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ class CerebrateSettingsProvider extends BaseSettingsProvider
                             'description' => __('The authentication username for the HTTP proxy.'),
                             'default' => 'admin',
                             'dependsOn' => 'proxy.host',
+                            'empty' => true
                         ],
                         'Proxy.password' => [
                             'name' => __('Password'),
@@ -161,6 +164,7 @@ class CerebrateSettingsProvider extends BaseSettingsProvider
                             'description' => __('The authentication password for the HTTP proxy.'),
                             'default' => '',
                             'dependsOn' => 'proxy.host',
+                            'empty' => true
                         ],
                     ],
                 ],