diff --git a/src/corelibs/config_handling/settings_loader.py b/src/corelibs/config_handling/settings_loader.py
index 65befed..856b46e 100644
--- a/src/corelibs/config_handling/settings_loader.py
+++ b/src/corelibs/config_handling/settings_loader.py
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@ class SettingsLoader:
                 # - length: for string length
                 # - range: for int/float range check
                 # mandatory check
-                if check == "mandatory:yes" and not settings[config_id].get(entry):
+                if check == "mandatory:yes" and (
+                    not settings[config_id].get(entry) or settings[config_id].get(entry) == ['']
+                ):
                     error = True
                     self.__print(f"[!] Missing content entry for: {entry}", 'ERROR')
                 # skip if empty none
@@ -392,7 +394,8 @@ class SettingsLoader:
         clean: re.Pattern[str] | None = None
         if regex_clean is not None:
             clean = re.compile(regex_clean, re.VERBOSE)
-        if not check.search(value):
+        # value must be set if clean is None, else empty value is allowed and will fail
+        if (clean is None and value or clean) and not check.search(value):
             self.__print(
                 f"[!] Invalid content for '{entry}' with check '{validate}' and data: {value}",
                 'ERROR', print_error
diff --git a/test-run/config_handling/config/settings.ini b/test-run/config_handling/config/settings.ini
index 6558bb9..63d97f1 100644
--- a/test-run/config_handling/config/settings.ini
+++ b/test-run/config_handling/config/settings.ini
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 [TestA]
 foo=bar
 foobar=1
+bar=st
 some_match=foo
 some_match_list=foo,bar
 test_list=a,b,c,d f, g h
@@ -21,5 +22,6 @@ match_source_list=foo,bar
 element_a=Static energy
 element_b=123.5
 element_c=True
-email=foo@bar.com,other+bar-fee@domain-com.cp
-email_bad=@bar.com
+email=foo@bar.com,other+bar-fee@domain-com.cp,
+email_not_mandatory=
+email_bad=gii@bar.com
diff --git a/test-run/config_handling/settings_loader.py b/test-run/config_handling/settings_loader.py
index a3e927b..03a9879 100644
--- a/test-run/config_handling/settings_loader.py
+++ b/test-run/config_handling/settings_loader.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def main():
             {
                 "foo": ["mandatory:yes"],
                 "foobar": ["check:int"],
+                "bar": ["mandatory:yes"],
                 "some_match": ["matching:foo|bar"],
                 "some_match_list": ["split:,", "matching:foo|bar"],
                 "test_list": [
@@ -82,6 +83,11 @@ def main():
                     "mandatory:yes",
                     "check:string.email.basic"
                 ],
+                "email_not_mandatory": [
+                    "split:,",
+                    # "mandatory:yes",
+                    "check:string.email.basic"
+                ],
                 "email_bad": [
                     "split:,",
                     "mandatory:yes",
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 982f73d..6eca2e6 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "corelibs"
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.12.1"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "jmespath" },