diff --git a/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence-rs/manifest.json b/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence-rs/manifest.json
index d9206976..4cf64b55 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence-rs/manifest.json
+++ b/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence-rs/manifest.json
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
           "type": "array",
           "title": "User Tokens",
           "description": "Discord tokens for each Navidrome user. WARNING: Store tokens securely!",
-          "default": [{}],
+          "minItems": 1,
           "items": {
             "type": "object",
             "properties": {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
           }
         }
       },
-      "required": ["clientid"]
+      "required": ["clientid", "users"]
     },
     "uiSchema": {
       "type": "VerticalLayout",
diff --git a/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence/manifest.json b/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence/manifest.json
index 403cb917..ac8eec01 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence/manifest.json
+++ b/plugins/examples/discord-rich-presence/manifest.json
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
           "type": "array",
           "title": "User Tokens",
           "description": "Discord tokens for each Navidrome user. WARNING: Store tokens securely!",
-          "default": [{}],
+          "minItems": 1,
           "items": {
             "type": "object",
             "properties": {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
           }
         }
       },
-      "required": ["clientid"]
+      "required": ["clientid", "users"]
     },
     "uiSchema": {
       "type": "VerticalLayout",
diff --git a/ui/src/plugin/AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout.jsx b/ui/src/plugin/AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout.jsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c833a1f..00000000
--- a/ui/src/plugin/AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout.jsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,276 +0,0 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
-import {
-  composePaths,
-  computeLabel,
-  createDefaultValue,
-  isObjectArrayWithNesting,
-  isPrimitiveArrayControl,
-  rankWith,
-  findUISchema,
-  Resolve,
-} from '@jsonforms/core'
-import {
-  JsonFormsDispatch,
-  withJsonFormsArrayLayoutProps,
-} from '@jsonforms/react'
-import range from 'lodash/range'
-import merge from 'lodash/merge'
-import { Box, IconButton, Tooltip, Typography } from '@material-ui/core'
-import { Add, Delete } from '@material-ui/icons'
-import { makeStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles'
-
-const useStyles = makeStyles((theme) => ({
-  arrayItem: {
-    position: 'relative',
-    padding: theme.spacing(2),
-    marginBottom: theme.spacing(2),
-    border: `1px solid ${theme.palette.divider}`,
-    borderRadius: theme.shape.borderRadius,
-    '&:last-child': {
-      marginBottom: 0,
-    },
-  },
-  deleteButton: {
-    position: 'absolute',
-    top: theme.spacing(1),
-    right: theme.spacing(1),
-  },
-  itemContent: {
-    paddingRight: theme.spacing(4), // Space for delete button
-  },
-}))
-
-// Default translations for array controls
-const defaultTranslations = {
-  addTooltip: 'Add',
-  addAriaLabel: 'Add button',
-  removeTooltip: 'Delete',
-  removeAriaLabel: 'Delete button',
-  noDataMessage: 'No data',
-}
-
-// Simplified array item renderer - clean card layout
-// eslint-disable-next-line react-refresh/only-export-components
-const ArrayItem = ({
-  index,
-  path,
-  schema,
-  uischema,
-  uischemas,
-  rootSchema,
-  renderers,
-  cells,
-  enabled,
-  removeItems,
-  translations,
-  disableRemove,
-}) => {
-  const classes = useStyles()
-  const childPath = composePaths(path, `${index}`)
-
-  const foundUISchema = useMemo(
-    () =>
-      findUISchema(
-        uischemas,
-        schema,
-        uischema.scope,
-        path,
-        undefined,
-        uischema,
-        rootSchema,
-      ),
-    [uischemas, schema, path, uischema, rootSchema],
-  )
-
-  return (
-    <Box className={classes.arrayItem}>
-      {enabled && !disableRemove && (
-        <Tooltip
-          title={translations.removeTooltip}
-          className={classes.deleteButton}
-        >
-          <IconButton
-            onClick={() => removeItems(path, [index])()}
-            size="small"
-            aria-label={translations.removeAriaLabel}
-          >
-            <Delete fontSize="small" />
-          </IconButton>
-        </Tooltip>
-      )}
-      <Box className={classes.itemContent}>
-        <JsonFormsDispatch
-          enabled={enabled}
-          schema={schema}
-          uischema={foundUISchema}
-          path={childPath}
-          key={childPath}
-          renderers={renderers}
-          cells={cells}
-        />
-      </Box>
-    </Box>
-  )
-}
-
-// Array toolbar with add button
-// eslint-disable-next-line react-refresh/only-export-components
-const ArrayToolbar = ({
-  label,
-  description,
-  enabled,
-  addItem,
-  path,
-  createDefault,
-  translations,
-  disableAdd,
-}) => (
-  <Box mb={1}>
-    <Box display="flex" alignItems="center" justifyContent="space-between">
-      <Typography variant="h6">{label}</Typography>
-      {!disableAdd && (
-        <Tooltip
-          title={translations.addTooltip}
-          aria-label={translations.addAriaLabel}
-        >
-          <IconButton
-            onClick={addItem(path, createDefault())}
-            disabled={!enabled}
-            size="small"
-          >
-            <Add />
-          </IconButton>
-        </Tooltip>
-      )}
-    </Box>
-    {description && (
-      <Typography variant="caption" color="textSecondary">
-        {description}
-      </Typography>
-    )}
-  </Box>
-)
-
-const useArrayStyles = makeStyles((theme) => ({
-  container: {
-    marginBottom: theme.spacing(2),
-  },
-}))
-
-// Main array layout component - items always expanded
-// eslint-disable-next-line react-refresh/only-export-components
-const AlwaysExpandedArrayLayoutComponent = (props) => {
-  const arrayClasses = useArrayStyles()
-  const {
-    enabled,
-    data,
-    path,
-    schema,
-    uischema,
-    addItem,
-    removeItems,
-    renderers,
-    cells,
-    label,
-    description,
-    required,
-    rootSchema,
-    config,
-    uischemas,
-    disableAdd,
-    disableRemove,
-  } = props
-
-  const innerCreateDefaultValue = useCallback(
-    () => createDefaultValue(schema, rootSchema),
-    [schema, rootSchema],
-  )
-
-  const appliedUiSchemaOptions = merge({}, config, uischema.options)
-  const doDisableAdd = disableAdd || appliedUiSchemaOptions.disableAdd
-  const doDisableRemove = disableRemove || appliedUiSchemaOptions.disableRemove
-  const translations = defaultTranslations
-
-  return (
-    <div className={arrayClasses.container}>
-      <ArrayToolbar
-        translations={translations}
-        label={computeLabel(
-          label,
-          required,
-          appliedUiSchemaOptions.hideRequiredAsterisk,
-        )}
-        description={description}
-        path={path}
-        enabled={enabled}
-        addItem={addItem}
-        createDefault={innerCreateDefaultValue}
-        disableAdd={doDisableAdd}
-      />
-      <div>
-        {data > 0 ? (
-          range(data).map((index) => (
-            <ArrayItem
-              key={index}
-              index={index}
-              path={path}
-              schema={schema}
-              uischema={uischema}
-              uischemas={uischemas}
-              rootSchema={rootSchema}
-              renderers={renderers}
-              cells={cells}
-              enabled={enabled}
-              removeItems={removeItems}
-              translations={translations}
-              disableRemove={doDisableRemove}
-            />
-          ))
-        ) : (
-          <Typography color="textSecondary">
-            {translations.noDataMessage}
-          </Typography>
-        )}
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  )
-}
-
-// Wrap with JSONForms HOC
-const WrappedArrayLayout = withJsonFormsArrayLayoutProps(
-  AlwaysExpandedArrayLayoutComponent,
-)
-
-// Custom tester that matches arrays but NOT enum arrays
-// Enum arrays should be handled by MaterialEnumArrayRenderer (for checkboxes)
-const isNonEnumArrayControl = (uischema, schema) => {
-  // First check if it matches our base conditions (object array or primitive array)
-  const baseCheck =
-    isObjectArrayWithNesting(uischema, schema) ||
-    isPrimitiveArrayControl(uischema, schema)
-
-  if (!baseCheck) {
-    return false
-  }
-
-  // Resolve the actual schema for this control using JSONForms utility
-  const rootSchema = schema
-  const resolved = Resolve.schema(rootSchema, uischema?.scope, rootSchema)
-
-  // Exclude enum arrays (uniqueItems + oneOf/enum) - let MaterialEnumArrayRenderer handle them
-  if (resolved?.uniqueItems && resolved?.items) {
-    const { items } = resolved
-    if (items.oneOf?.every((e) => e.const !== undefined) || items.enum) {
-      return false
-    }
-  }
-
-  return true
-}
-
-// Export as a renderer entry with high priority (5 > default 4)
-// Matches both object arrays with nesting and primitive arrays, but NOT enum arrays
-export const AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout = {
-  tester: rankWith(5, isNonEnumArrayControl),
-  renderer: WrappedArrayLayout,
-}
diff --git a/ui/src/plugin/ConfigCard.jsx b/ui/src/plugin/ConfigCard.jsx
index 4e5bd629..d9815aa3 100644
--- a/ui/src/plugin/ConfigCard.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/plugin/ConfigCard.jsx
@@ -4,76 +4,37 @@ import { Card, CardContent, Typography, Box } from '@material-ui/core'
 import Alert from '@material-ui/lab/Alert'
 import { SchemaConfigEditor } from './SchemaConfigEditor'
 
-// Navigate schema by path parts to find the title for a field
-const findFieldTitle = (schema, parts) => {
+// Format error with field title and full path for nested fields
+const formatError = (error, schema) => {
+  // Get path parts from various error formats
+  const rawPath =
+    error.dataPath || error.property || error.instancePath?.replace(/\//g, '.')
+  const parts = rawPath?.split('.').filter(Boolean) || []
+
+  // Navigate schema to find field title, build bracket-notation path
   let currentSchema = schema
-  let fieldName = parts[parts.length - 1] // Default to last part
+  let fieldName = parts[parts.length - 1]
+  const pathParts = []
 
   for (const part of parts) {
-    if (!currentSchema) break
-
-    // Skip array indices (just move to items schema)
     if (/^\d+$/.test(part)) {
-      if (currentSchema.items) {
-        currentSchema = currentSchema.items
-      }
-      continue
-    }
-
-    // Navigate to property and always update fieldName
-    if (currentSchema.properties?.[part]) {
-      const propSchema = currentSchema.properties[part]
-      fieldName = propSchema.title || part
-      currentSchema = propSchema
+      pathParts.push(`[${part}]`)
+      currentSchema = currentSchema?.items
+    } else {
+      fieldName = currentSchema?.properties?.[part]?.title || part
+      pathParts.push(part)
+      currentSchema = currentSchema?.properties?.[part]
     }
   }
 
-  return fieldName
-}
+  const path = pathParts.join('.').replace(/\.\[/g, '[')
+  const isNested = path.includes('[') || path.includes('.')
+  // Replace property name in message with full path for nested fields
+  const message = isNested
+    ? error.message.replace(/'[^']+'\s*$/, `'${path}'`)
+    : error.message
 
-// Extract human-readable field name from JSONForms error
-const getFieldName = (error, schema) => {
-  // JSONForms errors can have different path formats:
-  // - dataPath: "users.1.token" (dot-separated)
-  // - instancePath: "/users/1/token" (slash-separated)
-  // - property: "users.1.username" (dot-separated)
-  const dataPath = error.dataPath || ''
-  const instancePath = error.instancePath || ''
-  const property = error.property || ''
-
-  // Try dataPath first (dot-separated like "users.1.token")
-  if (dataPath) {
-    const parts = dataPath.split('.').filter(Boolean)
-    if (parts.length > 0) {
-      return findFieldTitle(schema, parts)
-    }
-  }
-
-  // Try property (also dot-separated)
-  if (property) {
-    const parts = property.split('.').filter(Boolean)
-    if (parts.length > 0) {
-      return findFieldTitle(schema, parts)
-    }
-  }
-
-  // Fall back to instancePath (slash-separated like "/users/1/token")
-  if (instancePath) {
-    const parts = instancePath.split('/').filter(Boolean)
-    if (parts.length > 0) {
-      return findFieldTitle(schema, parts)
-    }
-  }
-
-  // Try to extract from schemaPath like "#/properties/users/items/properties/username/minLength"
-  const schemaPath = error.schemaPath || ''
-  const propMatches = [...schemaPath.matchAll(/\/properties\/([^/]+)/g)]
-  if (propMatches.length > 0) {
-    const parts = propMatches.map((m) => m[1])
-    return findFieldTitle(schema, parts)
-  }
-
-  return null
+  return { fieldName, message }
 }
 
 export const ConfigCard = ({
@@ -99,14 +60,10 @@ export const ConfigCard = ({
 
   // Format validation errors with proper field names
   const formattedErrors = useMemo(() => {
-    if (!hasConfigSchema) {
-      return []
-    }
-    const { schema } = manifest.config
-    return validationErrors.map((error) => ({
-      fieldName: getFieldName(error, schema),
-      message: error.message,
-    }))
+    if (!hasConfigSchema) return []
+    return validationErrors.map((error) =>
+      formatError(error, manifest.config.schema),
+    )
   }, [validationErrors, manifest, hasConfigSchema])
 
   if (!hasConfigSchema) {
@@ -139,12 +96,14 @@ export const ConfigCard = ({
           </Box>
         )}
 
-        <SchemaConfigEditor
-          schema={schema}
-          uiSchema={uiSchema}
-          data={configData}
-          onChange={handleChange}
-        />
+        <Box mt={formattedErrors.length > 0 ? 0 : 2}>
+          <SchemaConfigEditor
+            schema={schema}
+            uiSchema={uiSchema}
+            data={configData}
+            onChange={handleChange}
+          />
+        </Box>
       </CardContent>
     </Card>
   )
diff --git a/ui/src/plugin/OutlinedRenderers.jsx b/ui/src/plugin/OutlinedRenderers.jsx
index 5156038f..8020a5e4 100644
--- a/ui/src/plugin/OutlinedRenderers.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/plugin/OutlinedRenderers.jsx
@@ -40,18 +40,14 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles(
 
 /**
  * Hook for common control state (focus, validation, description visibility)
- * Tracks "touched" state to only show errors after the user has interacted with the field
  */
 const useControlState = (props) => {
   const { config, uischema, description, visible, errors } = props
   const [isFocused, setIsFocused] = useState(false)
-  const [isTouched, setIsTouched] = useState(false)
 
   const appliedUiSchemaOptions = merge({}, config, uischema?.options)
   // errors is a string when there are validation errors, empty/undefined when valid
-  const hasErrors = errors && errors.length > 0
-  // Only show as invalid after the field has been touched (blurred)
-  const showError = isTouched && hasErrors
+  const showError = errors && errors.length > 0
 
   const showDescription = !isDescriptionHidden(
     visible,
@@ -63,10 +59,7 @@ const useControlState = (props) => {
   const helperText = showError ? errors : showDescription ? description : ''
 
   const handleFocus = () => setIsFocused(true)
-  const handleBlur = () => {
-    setIsFocused(false)
-    setIsTouched(true)
-  }
+  const handleBlur = () => setIsFocused(false)
 
   return {
     isFocused,
@@ -185,8 +178,17 @@ const OutlinedNumberControl = (props) => {
 // Enum/Select control wrapper
 const OutlinedEnumControl = (props) => {
   const classes = useStyles()
-  const { data, id, enabled, path, handleChange, options, label, visible } =
-    props
+  const {
+    data,
+    id,
+    enabled,
+    path,
+    handleChange,
+    options,
+    label,
+    visible,
+    required,
+  } = props
   const {
     appliedUiSchemaOptions,
     showError,
@@ -212,7 +214,12 @@ const OutlinedEnumControl = (props) => {
         labelId={`${id}-label`}
         id={id}
         value={data ?? ''}
-        onChange={(ev) => handleChange(path, ev.target.value)}
+        onChange={(ev) => {
+          handleChange(
+            path,
+            ev.target.value === '' ? undefined : ev.target.value,
+          )
+        }}
         onFocus={handleFocus}
         onBlur={handleBlur}
         disabled={!enabled}
@@ -220,9 +227,11 @@ const OutlinedEnumControl = (props) => {
         label={label}
         fullWidth
       >
-        <MenuItem value="">
-          <em>None</em>
-        </MenuItem>
+        {!required && (
+          <MenuItem value="">
+            <em>None</em>
+          </MenuItem>
+        )}
         {options?.map((option) => (
           <MenuItem key={option.value} value={option.value}>
             {option.label}
diff --git a/ui/src/plugin/SchemaConfigEditor.jsx b/ui/src/plugin/SchemaConfigEditor.jsx
index 58259f77..096bfeb9 100644
--- a/ui/src/plugin/SchemaConfigEditor.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/plugin/SchemaConfigEditor.jsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { makeStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles'
 import { Typography } from '@material-ui/core'
 import { useTranslate } from 'react-admin'
 import Ajv from 'ajv'
-import { AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout } from './AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout'
 import {
   OutlinedTextRenderer,
   OutlinedNumberRenderer,
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ SchemaErrorBoundary.propTypes = {
 // params.missingProperty. We transform them to point to the field directly
 // (e.g., "/users/1/username") so JSONForms displays them under the correct input.
 const ajv = new Ajv({
-  useDefaults: true,
+  useDefaults: false,
   allErrors: true,
   verbose: true,
   jsonPointers: true,
@@ -135,7 +134,6 @@ const customRenderers = [
   OutlinedNumberRenderer,
   OutlinedEnumRenderer,
   OutlinedOneOfEnumRenderer,
-  AlwaysExpandedArrayLayout,
   // Then all the standard material renderers
   ...materialRenderers,
 ]