diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/EditorControlPane.js b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/EditorControlPane.js
index 89e60568..367ab761 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/EditorControlPane.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/EditorControlPane.js
@@ -17,14 +17,9 @@ export default class ControlPane extends React.Component {
   controlRef(field, wrappedControl) {
     if (!wrappedControl) return;
     const name = field.get('name');
-    const widget = field.get('widget');
-    const listFields = field => field.get('field') || field.get('fields') || field.get('types');
 
-    if ((widget === 'list' && listFields(field)) || widget === 'object') {
-      this.componentValidate[name] = wrappedControl.innerWrappedControl.validate;
-    } else {
-      this.componentValidate[name] = wrappedControl.validate;
-    }
+    this.componentValidate[name] =
+      wrappedControl.innerWrappedControl.validate || wrappedControl.validate;
   }
 
   validate = () => {
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/Widget.js b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/Widget.js
index 4e24631b..94b1942c 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/Widget.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/Editor/EditorControlPane/Widget.js
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ export default class Widget extends Component {
   };
 
   validate = (skipWrapped = false) => {
-    const { field, value } = this.props;
+    let value = this.props.value;
+    // Convert list input widget value to string for validation test
+    List.isList(value) && (value = value.join(','));
+
+    const field = this.props.field;
     const errors = [];
     const validations = [this.validatePresence, this.validatePattern];
     validations.forEach(func => {
@@ -137,9 +141,6 @@ export default class Widget extends Component {
       return { error: false };
     }
 
-    // Convert list input widget value to string for pattern test
-    List.isList(value) && (value = value.join(','));
-
     if (pattern && !RegExp(pattern.first()).test(value)) {
       const error = {
         type: ValidationErrorTypes.PATTERN,
@@ -271,6 +272,7 @@ export default class Widget extends Component {
       getAsset,
       forID: uniqueFieldId,
       ref: this.processInnerControlRef,
+      validate: this.validate,
       classNameWrapper,
       classNameWidget,
       classNameWidgetActive,
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-list/src/ListControl.js b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-list/src/ListControl.js
index f75c1010..1749a361 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-list/src/ListControl.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-list/src/ListControl.js
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ export default class ListControl extends React.Component {
     onChange: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onChangeObject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     onValidateObject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    validate: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     value: ImmutablePropTypes.list,
     field: PropTypes.object,
     forID: PropTypes.string,
@@ -230,9 +231,13 @@ export default class ListControl extends React.Component {
   };
 
   validate = () => {
-    this.validations.forEach(validateListItem => {
-      validateListItem();
-    });
+    if (this.getValueType()) {
+      this.validations.forEach(validateListItem => {
+        validateListItem();
+      });
+    } else {
+      this.props.validate();
+    }
   };
 
   /**