diff --git a/documentation/md/docs/Models/Defining-a-Model.md b/documentation/md/docs/Models/Defining-a-Model.md
index f93e1c2..179e05c 100644
--- a/documentation/md/docs/Models/Defining-a-Model.md
+++ b/documentation/md/docs/Models/Defining-a-Model.md
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ A sample Model definition with all configuration options is the following. Note
 > >                     /* --> schema validation for it */
 > >                     schema: {
 > >                         type: 'number',
+> >                         required: true,
 > >                     },
 > >                 },
 > >             }
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ A sample Model definition with all configuration options is the following. Note
 > >                     /* --> schema validation for it */
 > >                     schema: {
 > >                         type: 'number',
+> >                         required: true,
 > >                     },
 > >                 },
 > >             }
diff --git a/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.spec.ts b/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.spec.ts
index 3300e2a..9932807 100644
--- a/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.spec.ts
+++ b/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.spec.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ describe('ModelFactory', () => {
           age: {
             type: 'number',
             minimum: 0,
+            required: false,
           },
           id: {
             type: 'string',
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ describe('ModelFactory', () => {
                   type: 'number',
                   minimum: 1,
                   maximum: 5,
+                  required: true,
                 },
               },
             },
@@ -424,6 +426,7 @@ describe('createOne', () => {
                 property: 'rating',
                 schema: {
                   type: 'number',
+                  required: true,
                 },
               },
             },
@@ -818,6 +821,7 @@ describe('addRelationships', () => {
                   type: 'number',
                   minimum: 0,
                   maximum: 5,
+                  required: true,
                 },
               },
             },
@@ -840,6 +844,7 @@ describe('addRelationships', () => {
             property: 'more',
             schema: {
               type: 'boolean',
+              required: true,
             },
           },
         },
@@ -1260,6 +1265,7 @@ describe('beforeCreate', () => {
                   type: 'number',
                   minimum: 0,
                   maximum: 5,
+                  required: true,
                 },
               },
             },
@@ -1571,7 +1577,13 @@ describe('relateTo', () => {
     interface UsersRelatedNodesI {
       Parent: ModelRelatedNodesI<
         { createOne: (typeof Users)['createOne'] },
-        UsersInstance
+        UsersInstance,
+        {
+          Rating?: number;
+        },
+        {
+          rating?: number;
+        }
       >;
     }
 
@@ -1614,6 +1626,15 @@ describe('relateTo', () => {
             model: 'self',
             direction: 'out',
             name: 'PARENT',
+            properties: {
+              Rating: {
+                property: 'rating',
+                schema: {
+                  type: 'number',
+                  required: false,
+                },
+              },
+            },
           },
         },
         primaryKeyField: 'id',
@@ -1704,6 +1725,7 @@ describe('relateTo', () => {
                   type: 'number',
                   minimum: 0,
                   maximum: 5,
+                  required: true,
                 },
               },
             },
diff --git a/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.ts b/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.ts
index 92cf947..13446b2 100644
--- a/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.ts
+++ b/src/ModelOps/ModelOps.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ type RelationshipTypePropertyForCreateI<
     | Array<RelationshipTypePropertyForCreateWhereI<RelationshipProperties>>;
 };
 
+type IValidationSchema<T = AnyObject> = Revalidator.ISchema<T> & {
+  required: boolean;
+};
+
 /** the type for the Relationship configuration of a Model */
 export type RelationshipsI<RelatedNodesToAssociateI extends AnyObject> = {
   /** the alias of the relationship definitions is the key */
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ export type RelationshipsI<RelatedNodesToAssociateI extends AnyObject> = {
         /** the actual property to be used on the relationship */
         property: keyof RelatedNodesToAssociateI[alias]['RelationshipProperties'];
         /** validation for the property */
-        schema: Revalidator.ISchema<AnyObject>;
+        schema: IValidationSchema;
       };
     };
   };
@@ -416,7 +420,7 @@ export const ModelFactory = <
     /** the schema for the validation */
     schema: {
       [index in keyof Properties]:
-        | Revalidator.ISchema<Properties>
+        | IValidationSchema<Properties>
         | Revalidator.JSONSchema<Properties>;
     };
     /** the label of the nodes */
@@ -1689,10 +1693,7 @@ export const ModelFactory = <
       /** properties to be used in the relationship */
       const relationshipProperties = {};
       /** total validation for the properties */
-      const validationSchema: Record<
-        string,
-        Revalidator.ISchema<AnyObject>
-      > = {};
+      const validationSchema: Record<string, IValidationSchema<AnyObject>> = {};
 
       for (const key of keysToUse) {
         const property = relationship.properties?.[key]?.property as string;
@@ -1700,13 +1701,16 @@ export const ModelFactory = <
         if (!property) {
           continue;
         }
-        relationshipProperties[property] = dataToUse[key];
 
         const schema = relationship.properties?.[key]?.schema;
-        if (!schema) {
-          continue;
+
+        if (schema) {
+          validationSchema[property] = schema;
+        }
+
+        if (key in dataToUse) {
+          relationshipProperties[property] = dataToUse[key];
         }
-        validationSchema[property] = schema;
       }
 
       const validationResult = revalidator.validate(relationshipProperties, {