diff --git a/src/core/Ingredient.mjs b/src/core/Ingredient.mjs
index d01c6d34..5902e2da 100644
--- a/src/core/Ingredient.mjs
+++ b/src/core/Ingredient.mjs
@@ -76,8 +76,12 @@ class Ingredient {
         if (this.disabled) return true;
 
         let checkVal = val;
-        if (this.type === "toggleString" && val && typeof val === "object" && "string" in val) {
-            checkVal = val.string;
+        if (checkVal === null || checkVal === undefined) {
+            checkVal = this.defaultValue;
+        }
+
+        if (this.type === "toggleString" && checkVal && typeof checkVal === "object" && "string" in checkVal) {
+            checkVal = checkVal.string;
         }
         if (this.type === "option" && Array.isArray(checkVal)) {
             checkVal = checkVal[this.defaultIndex ?? 0];
@@ -92,7 +96,11 @@ class Ingredient {
         }
 
         if (isEmpty) {
-            if (this.allowEmpty === false) {
+            let isAllowedOptionEmpty = false;
+            if (this.type === "option" && Array.isArray(this.defaultValue)) {
+                isAllowedOptionEmpty = this.defaultValue.includes("");
+            }
+            if (this.allowEmpty === false || (this.type === "option" && !isAllowedOptionEmpty)) {
                 throw new OperationError(`${this.name} cannot be empty.`);
             }
             return true;
@@ -113,16 +121,16 @@ class Ingredient {
 
         // 3. number checks
         if (this.type === "number") {
-            if (val === null || val === undefined || isNaN(val)) {
+            if (checkVal === null || checkVal === undefined || isNaN(checkVal)) {
                 throw new OperationError(`${this.name} must be a number.`);
             }
-            if (this.integer && !Number.isInteger(val)) {
+            if (this.integer && !Number.isInteger(checkVal)) {
                 throw new OperationError(`${this.name} must be an integer.`);
             }
-            if (typeof this.min === "number" && val < this.min) {
+            if (typeof this.min === "number" && checkVal < this.min) {
                 throw new OperationError(`${this.name} must be greater than or equal to ${this.min}.`);
             }
-            if (typeof this.max === "number" && val > this.max) {
+            if (typeof this.max === "number" && checkVal > this.max) {
                 throw new OperationError(`${this.name} must be less than or equal to ${this.max}.`);
             }
         }
diff --git a/tests/operations/tests/CharEnc.mjs b/tests/operations/tests/CharEnc.mjs
index 83f71ca9..88991761 100644
--- a/tests/operations/tests/CharEnc.mjs
+++ b/tests/operations/tests/CharEnc.mjs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ TestRegister.addTests([
     {
         name: "Encode text: empty encoding",
         input: "hello",
-        expectedOutput: "Invalid encoding",
+        expectedOutput: "Encoding cannot be empty.",
         recipeConfig: [
             {
                 "op": "Encode text",
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ TestRegister.addTests([
     {
         name: "Decode text: empty encoding",
         input: "68 65 6c 6c 6f",
-        expectedOutput: "Invalid encoding",
+        expectedOutput: "Encoding cannot be empty.",
         recipeConfig: [
             {
                 "op": "From Hex",
diff --git a/tests/operations/tests/Image.mjs b/tests/operations/tests/Image.mjs
index fe6cab10..a7b1167b 100644
--- a/tests/operations/tests/Image.mjs
+++ b/tests/operations/tests/Image.mjs
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ TestRegister.addTests([
     {
         name: "Generate Image: empty mode",
         input: "",
-        expectedOutput: "Unsupported Mode: ()",
+        expectedOutput: "Mode cannot be empty.",
         recipeConfig: [
             {
                 op: "Generate Image",