diff --git a/src/main/webapp/formdefinitions/observationForm.json b/src/main/webapp/formdefinitions/observationForm.json
index d55a16babdbfe710cefafe2e84a208b6b4657211..1c1ca45d8ee6b3b9fe3ef75bdba6dd08f7501752 100755
--- a/src/main/webapp/formdefinitions/observationForm.json
+++ b/src/main/webapp/formdefinitions/observationForm.json
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
         {
             "name" : "observationText",
             "dataType" : "STRING",
-            "required" : true
+            "required" : false
         },
         {
             "name" : "deleteIllustration",