diff --git a/field_collection.module b/field_collection.module
index fe9911c..49320f9 100644
--- a/field_collection.module
+++ b/field_collection.module
@@ -1018,7 +1018,25 @@ function field_collection_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $insta
         return array();
       }
 
-      field_attach_form('field_collection_item', $field_collection_item, $element, $form_state, $language);
+      $elt = array();
+      field_attach_form('field_collection_item', $field_collection_item, $elt, $form_state, $language);
+
+      if ($form['#title'] === "Default value") {
+        foreach($elt as $key => &$subfield) {
+          if (!is_array($subfield) || !isset($subfield['#language'])) {
+            continue; // it's not a subfield
+          }
+
+          unset($subfield[$subfield['#language']]['#required']);
+          foreach($subfield[$subfield['#language']] as $k => &$value) {
+            if (is_array($value) && isset($value['value']) && isset($value['value']['#required'])) {
+              unset($value['value']['#required']);
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      $element = array_merge($element,$elt);
 
       if (empty($element['#required'])) {
         $element['#after_build'][] = 'field_collection_field_widget_embed_delay_required_validation';