diff --git a/app/models/metadata_file.rb b/app/models/metadata_file.rb
index 1c859481..5be7f84c 100644
--- a/app/models/metadata_file.rb
+++ b/app/models/metadata_file.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class MetadataFile < MetadataTemplate
     errors << I18n.t("metadata.#{type}.site_invalid") if site.invalid?
     errors << I18n.t("metadata.#{type}.path_required") if path_missing?
     errors << I18n.t("metadata.#{type}.no_file_for_description") if no_file_for_description?
-    errors << I18n.t("metadata.#{type}.attachment_missing") unless static_file
+    errors << I18n.t("metadata.#{type}.attachment_missing") if path? && !static_file
 
     errors.compact!
     errors.empty?
diff --git a/app/models/metadata_image.rb b/app/models/metadata_image.rb
index f86c5c26..85ee062a 100644
--- a/app/models/metadata_image.rb
+++ b/app/models/metadata_image.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class MetadataImage < MetadataFile
   def validate
     super
 
-    errors << I18n.t('metadata.image.not_an_image') unless image?
+    errors << I18n.t('metadata.image.not_an_image') unless path? && image?
 
     errors.compact!
     errors.empty?