diff --git a/i18n/en.pot b/i18n/en.pot
index 7f4c9b41..20fe0a5b 100644
--- a/i18n/en.pot
+++ b/i18n/en.pot
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ msgstr ""
 "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8\n"
 "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit\n"
 "Plural-Forms: nplurals=2; plural=(n != 1)\n"
-"POT-Creation-Date: 2023-10-30T09:38:05.168Z\n"
-"PO-Revision-Date: 2023-10-30T09:38:05.168Z\n"
+"POT-Creation-Date: 2023-10-30T14:04:02.910Z\n"
+"PO-Revision-Date: 2023-10-30T14:04:02.910Z\n"
 
 msgid "schemas"
 msgstr "schemas"
@@ -686,8 +686,8 @@ msgstr "Option set comment"
 msgid "Choose a set of predefined comment for data entry"
 msgstr "Choose a set of predefined comment for data entry"
 
-msgid "This {{field}} already exists, please choose antoher one"
-msgstr "This {{field}} already exists, please choose antoher one"
+msgid "This field requires a unique value, please choose another one"
+msgstr "This field requires a unique value, please choose another one"
 
 msgid "Metadata management"
 msgstr "Metadata management"
diff --git a/src/lib/index.ts b/src/lib/index.ts
index 9d2ace74..1ac729c4 100644
--- a/src/lib/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ export * from './schemas'
 export { useLoadApp } from './useLoadApp'
 export type { ModelSchemas, Schema } from './useLoadApp'
 export * from './errors'
+export { memoize } from './memoize'
 export * from './user'
 export * from './sections'
 export * from './useDebounce'
diff --git a/src/lib/memoize.ts b/src/lib/memoize.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6f1f352
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/memoize.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any */
+
+const doArgsMatch = (prev: any[], next: any[]) => {
+    if (!prev && !next) {
+        return true
+    }
+
+    if (prev?.length !== next?.length) {
+        return false
+    }
+
+    return prev.every((value, index) => value === next[index])
+}
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/ban-types
+export function memoize(fn: Function) {
+    let called = false
+    let args: any
+    let value: any
+
+    return (...nextArgs: any[]) => {
+        const argsMatch = called && doArgsMatch(args, nextArgs)
+        called = true
+
+        if (argsMatch) {
+            return value
+        }
+
+        args = nextArgs
+        value = fn(...nextArgs)
+        return value
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/dataElements/Edit.tsx b/src/pages/dataElements/Edit.tsx
index 42600feb..f40508a8 100644
--- a/src/pages/dataElements/Edit.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/dataElements/Edit.tsx
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ export const Component = () => {
 
     return (
         <Form
+            validateOnBlur
             onSubmit={onSubmit}
             validate={validate}
             initialValues={initialValues}
diff --git a/src/pages/dataElements/New.tsx b/src/pages/dataElements/New.tsx
index de2fc758..b21bcdac 100644
--- a/src/pages/dataElements/New.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/dataElements/New.tsx
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ export const Component = () => {
 
     return (
         <Form
+            validateOnBlur
             onSubmit={onSubmit}
             initialValues={initialValues}
             validate={validate}
diff --git a/src/pages/dataElements/form/fields.tsx b/src/pages/dataElements/form/fields.tsx
index 3645b9a8..7f85ccba 100644
--- a/src/pages/dataElements/form/fields.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/dataElements/form/fields.tsx
@@ -26,15 +26,12 @@ import { EditableFieldWrapper } from './EditableFieldWrapper'
 import { useIsFieldValueUnique } from './useIsFieldValueUnique'
 
 export function NameField() {
-    const {
-        loading,
-        fetching,
-        refetch: checkIsValueTaken,
-    } = useIsFieldValueUnique('name')
+    const { meta } = useField('name')
+    const checkIsValueTaken = useIsFieldValueUnique('name')
 
     return (
         <FieldRFF
-            loading={loading || fetching}
+            loading={meta.validating}
             component={InputFieldFF}
             dataTest="dataelementsformfields-name"
             required
@@ -55,15 +52,12 @@ export function NameField() {
 }
 
 export function ShortNameField() {
-    const {
-        loading,
-        fetching,
-        refetch: checkIsValueTaken,
-    } = useIsFieldValueUnique('shortName')
+    const { meta } = useField('shortName')
+    const checkIsValueTaken = useIsFieldValueUnique('shortName')
 
     return (
         <FieldRFF
-            loading={loading || fetching}
+            loading={meta.validating}
             component={InputFieldFF}
             dataTest="dataelementsformfields-shortname"
             required
@@ -89,6 +83,7 @@ export function CodeField() {
             inputWidth="150px"
             name="code"
             label={i18n.t('Code')}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -104,6 +99,7 @@ export function DescriptionField() {
             helpText={i18n.t(
                 "Explain the purpose of this data element and how it's measured."
             )}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -117,13 +113,18 @@ export function UrlField() {
             name="url"
             label={i18n.t('Url')}
             helpText={i18n.t('A web link that provides extra information')}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
 
 export function ColorAndIconField() {
-    const { input: colorInput } = useField('style.color')
-    const { input: iconInput } = useField('style.icon')
+    const { input: colorInput } = useField('style.color', {
+        validateFields: [],
+    })
+    const { input: iconInput } = useField('style.icon', {
+        validateFields: [],
+    })
 
     return (
         <Field
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ export function FieldMaskField() {
                 'Use a pattern to limit what information can be entered.'
             )}
             placeholder={i18n.t('e.g. 999-000-0000')}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -174,6 +176,7 @@ export function FormNameField() {
             helpText={i18n.t(
                 'An alternative name used in section or automatic data entry forms.'
             )}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ export function ZeroIsSignificantField() {
             name="zeroIsSignificant"
             label={i18n.t('Store zero data values')}
             type="checkbox"
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -197,11 +201,13 @@ export function DomainField() {
         type: 'radio',
         value: 'AGGREGATE',
         validate,
+        validateFields: [],
     })
     const trackerInput = useField(name, {
         type: 'radio',
         value: 'TRACKER',
         validate,
+        validateFields: [],
     })
     const touched = aggregateInput.meta.touched || trackerInput.meta.touched
     const error = aggregateInput.meta.error || trackerInput.meta.error
@@ -256,6 +262,7 @@ export function LegendSetField() {
         format: (legendSets: { id: string }[]) =>
             legendSets?.map((legendSet) => legendSet.id),
         parse: (ids: string[]) => ids.map((id) => ({ id })),
+        validateFields: [],
     })
 
     const newLegendSetLink = useHref('/legendSets/new')
@@ -327,6 +334,7 @@ export function ValueTypeField() {
             })}
             helpText={i18n.t('The type of data that will be recorded.')}
             options={options || []}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
@@ -354,13 +362,16 @@ export function AggregationTypeField() {
                 'The default way to aggregate this data element in analytics.'
             )}
             options={options || []}
+            validateFields={[]}
         />
     )
 }
 
 export function CategoryComboField() {
     const newCategoryComboLink = useHref('/categoryCombos/new')
-    const { input, meta } = useField('categoryCombo.id')
+    const { input, meta } = useField('categoryCombo.id', {
+        validateFields: [],
+    })
     const categoryComboHandle = useRef({
         refetch: () => {
             throw new Error('Not initialized')
@@ -404,7 +415,9 @@ export function CategoryComboField() {
 
 export function OptionSetField() {
     const newOptionSetLink = useHref('/optionSets/new')
-    const { input, meta } = useField('optionSet.id')
+    const { input, meta } = useField('optionSet.id', {
+        validateFields: [],
+    })
     const optionSetHandle = useRef({
         refetch: () => {
             throw new Error('Not initialized')
@@ -445,7 +458,9 @@ export function OptionSetField() {
 
 export function OptionSetCommentField() {
     const newOptionSetLink = useHref('/optionSets/new')
-    const { input, meta } = useField('commentOptionSet.id')
+    const { input, meta } = useField('commentOptionSet.id', {
+        validateFields: [],
+    })
     const optionSetHandle = useRef({
         refetch: () => {
             throw new Error('Not initialized')
@@ -490,6 +505,7 @@ export function AggregationLevelsField() {
         multiple: true,
         format: (levels: number[]) => levels.map((level) => level.toString()),
         parse: (levels: string[]) => levels.map((level) => parseInt(level, 10)),
+        validateFields: [],
     })
     const aggregationLevelHandle = useRef({
         refetch: () => {
diff --git a/src/pages/dataElements/form/useIsFieldValueUnique.ts b/src/pages/dataElements/form/useIsFieldValueUnique.ts
index 53554d65..dfa361d5 100644
--- a/src/pages/dataElements/form/useIsFieldValueUnique.ts
+++ b/src/pages/dataElements/form/useIsFieldValueUnique.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-import { useDataQuery } from '@dhis2/app-runtime'
+import { useDataEngine } from '@dhis2/app-runtime'
 import i18n from '@dhis2/d2-i18n'
 import { useMemo } from 'react'
+import { useDebouncedCallback } from 'use-debounce'
+import { memoize } from '../../../lib'
 import { Pager } from '../../../types/generated'
 
 const HAS_FIELD_VALUE_QUERY = {
@@ -21,35 +23,27 @@ interface QueryResponse {
 }
 
 export function useIsFieldValueUnique(field: string) {
-    const queryResult = useDataQuery<QueryResponse>(HAS_FIELD_VALUE_QUERY, {
-        lazy: true,
-        variables: { field, value: '' },
-    })
+    const engine = useDataEngine()
 
-    return useMemo(
-        () => ({
-            ...queryResult,
-            refetch: (value: string) => {
+    const validate = useMemo(
+        () =>
+            memoize(async (value: string) => {
                 if (!value) {
-                    return
+                    return undefined
                 }
 
-                return queryResult.refetch({ field, value }).then(
-                    // We don't have access to app-runtime's internal type `JsonMap`,
-                    // so we have to ignore the type error
-                    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/ban-ts-comment
-                    // @ts-ignore
-                    (data: QueryResponse) => {
-                        if (data.dataElements.pager.total) {
-                            return i18n.t(
-                                'This {{field}} already exists, please choose antoher one',
-                                { field }
-                            )
-                        }
-                    }
-                )
-            },
-        }),
-        [field, queryResult]
+                const data = (await engine.query(HAS_FIELD_VALUE_QUERY, {
+                    variables: { field, value },
+                })) as unknown as QueryResponse
+
+                if (data.dataElements.pager.total > 0) {
+                    return i18n.t(
+                        'This field requires a unique value, please choose another one'
+                    )
+                }
+            }),
+        [field, engine]
     )
+
+    return useDebouncedCallback(validate, 200, { leading: true })
 }