diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules.go
index 5aae9322..f390cb24 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules.go
@@ -724,13 +724,11 @@ func ConfigProblems(m catalogue.Manifest) []string {
 		if strings.TrimSpace(d.Description) == "" {
 			say("no description: say in a sentence what the value is, including its unit (novox/hq ADR 0348 §4)")
 		}
-		switch {
-		case d.Required && d.Default != nil:
+		// A value with neither a default nor `required` is not managed until it is set (design 42 zfs-owns-zfs §11,
+		// answer A-14).
+		if d.Required && d.Default != nil {
 			say("both a default and required: a required value is the operator's own and has no default; give " +
 				"one or the other (novox/hq ADR 0348 §4)")
-		case !d.Required && d.Default == nil:
-			say("neither a default nor required: give a default, or say \"required\": true for a value that is " +
-				"the operator's own (novox/hq ADR 0348 §4)")
 		}
 		if as := renamed[key]; as != "" && d.Required {
 			say("is laid into its file as %q, and only when it is set, so the file and its code fall back when "+
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules_test.go
index 77e31198..da9eefba 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/judge/rules_test.go
@@ -3497,11 +3497,14 @@ func caseConfigRefusesAValueNeitherPlacedNorReadAtRuntime(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Rule 2: a value with neither a default nor required.
+// Rule 2: a value with both a default and required is refused; one with neither is not managed until set (design 42
+// zfs-owns-zfs §11, V4/AC1, answer A-14).
 func caseConfigRefusesAValueWithNeitherDefaultNorRequired(t *testing.T) {
 	m := inConfigForm()
 	delete(declaration(m, "width"), "default")
-	refused(t, m, `"width"`, "neither a default nor required")
+	if _, err := parseRaw(t, m); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	m = inConfigForm()
 	declaration(m, "sender")["default"] = "noreply@example.org"
 	refused(t, m, `"sender"`, "both a default and required")