diff --git a/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/config.py b/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/config.py
index b1d7ebc64..716fa6e82 100644
--- a/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/config.py
+++ b/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Union
+from typing import Union, Optional
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class LocalDenConfig(DenConfig):
 
 class RemoteDenConfig(DenConfig):
     host: str
-    credentials: dict
+    credentials: Optional[dict] = None
     allow_local_fine_tune: bool
     allow_push_fine_tuned: bool
 
diff --git a/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/resolver/resolver.py b/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/resolver/resolver.py
index 4e6e7e650..261cab85f 100644
--- a/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/resolver/resolver.py
+++ b/medcat-den/src/medcat_den/resolver/resolver.py
@@ -96,8 +96,6 @@ def _init_den_cnf(
         host = host or os.getenv(MEDCAT_DEN_REMOTE_HOST)
         if not host:
             raise ValueError("Need to specify a host for remote den")
-        if not credentials:
-            raise ValueError("Need to specify credentials for remote den")
         # NOTE: these will default to False when nothing is specified
         #       because "None" is not in ALLOW_OPTION_LOWERCASE
         allow_local_fine_tune = str(