diff --git a/archinstall/lib/disk/partitioning_menu.py b/archinstall/lib/disk/partitioning_menu.py
index 6e784a3045..716b2e1c0a 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/disk/partitioning_menu.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/disk/partitioning_menu.py
@@ -464,7 +464,10 @@ def _validate_value(
 		return size
 
 	def _prompt_size(self, free_space: FreeSpace) -> Size:
-		def validate(value: str) -> str | None:
+		def validate(value: str | None) -> str | None:
+			if not value:
+				return None
+
 			size = self._validate_value(sector_size, max_size, value)
 			if not size:
 				return tr('Invalid size')
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/disk/subvolume_menu.py b/archinstall/lib/disk/subvolume_menu.py
index 5b307b8d1e..af448a30e3 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/disk/subvolume_menu.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/disk/subvolume_menu.py
@@ -35,11 +35,17 @@ def selected_action_display(self, selection: SubvolumeModification) -> str:
 		return str(selection.name)
 
 	def _add_subvolume(self, preset: SubvolumeModification | None = None) -> SubvolumeModification | None:
+		def validate(value: str | None) -> str | None:
+			if value:
+				return None
+			return tr('Value cannot be empty')
+
 		result = EditMenu(
 			tr('Subvolume name'),
 			alignment=Alignment.CENTER,
 			allow_skip=True,
 			default_text=str(preset.name) if preset else None,
+			validator=validate,
 		).input()
 
 		match result.type_:
@@ -58,11 +64,12 @@ def _add_subvolume(self, preset: SubvolumeModification | None = None) -> Subvolu
 			tr('Subvolume mountpoint'),
 			header=header,
 			allow_skip=True,
-			validate=False,
+			validate=True,
+			must_exist=False,
 		)
 
 		if not path:
-			return None
+			return preset
 
 		return SubvolumeModification(Path(name), path)
 
@@ -81,7 +88,7 @@ def handle_action(
 				# was created we'll replace the existing one
 				data = [d for d in data if d.name != new_subvolume.name]
 				data += [new_subvolume]
-		elif entry is not None:
+		elif entry is not None:  # edit
 			if action == self._actions[1]:  # edit subvolume
 				new_subvolume = self._add_subvolume(entry)
 
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/interactions/general_conf.py b/archinstall/lib/interactions/general_conf.py
index a5e92fa119..8f360702f0 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/interactions/general_conf.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/interactions/general_conf.py
@@ -247,13 +247,14 @@ def add_number_of_parallel_downloads(preset: int | None = None) -> int | None:
 	header += tr(' - Maximum recommended value : {} ( Allows {} parallel downloads at a time )').format(max_recommended, max_recommended) + '\n'
 	header += tr(' - Disable/Default : 0 ( Disables parallel downloading, allows only 1 download at a time )\n')
 
-	def validator(s: str) -> str | None:
-		try:
-			value = int(s)
-			if value >= 0:
-				return None
-		except Exception:
-			pass
+	def validator(s: str | None) -> str | None:
+		if s is not None:
+			try:
+				value = int(s)
+				if value >= 0:
+					return None
+			except Exception:
+				pass
 
 		return tr('Invalid download number')
 
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/interactions/manage_users_conf.py b/archinstall/lib/interactions/manage_users_conf.py
index a8b867056d..e6e22db136 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/interactions/manage_users_conf.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/interactions/manage_users_conf.py
@@ -58,9 +58,10 @@ def handle_action(self, action: str, entry: User | None, data: list[User]) -> li
 
 		return data
 
-	def _check_for_correct_username(self, username: str) -> str | None:
-		if re.match(r'^[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]*\$?$', username) and len(username) <= 32:
-			return None
+	def _check_for_correct_username(self, username: str | None) -> str | None:
+		if username is not None:
+			if re.match(r'^[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]*\$?$', username) and len(username) <= 32:
+				return None
 		return tr('The username you entered is invalid')
 
 	def _add_user(self) -> User | None:
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py b/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
index 405da5c8d8..3508020353 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/interactions/network_menu.py
@@ -87,7 +87,12 @@ def _get_ip_address(
 		multi: bool,
 		preset: str | None = None,
 	) -> str | None:
-		def validator(ip: str) -> str | None:
+		def validator(ip: str | None) -> str | None:
+			failure = tr('You need to enter a valid IP in IP-config mode')
+
+			if not ip:
+				return failure
+
 			if multi:
 				ips = ip.split(' ')
 			else:
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ def validator(ip: str) -> str | None:
 					ipaddress.ip_interface(ip)
 				return None
 			except ValueError:
-				return tr('You need to enter a valid IP in IP-config mode')
+				return failure
 
 		result = EditMenu(
 			title,
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/utils/util.py b/archinstall/lib/utils/util.py
index 4fed4358d7..9d91af5a65 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/utils/util.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/utils/util.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from archinstall.lib.translationhandler import tr
 from archinstall.tui.curses_menu import EditMenu
+from archinstall.tui.result import ResultType
 from archinstall.tui.types import Alignment
 
 from ..models.users import Password
@@ -64,14 +65,19 @@ def prompt_dir(
 	text: str,
 	header: str | None = None,
 	validate: bool = True,
+	must_exist: bool = True,
 	allow_skip: bool = False,
 	preset: str | None = None,
 ) -> Path | None:
-	def validate_path(path: str) -> str | None:
-		dest_path = Path(path)
+	def validate_path(path: str | None) -> str | None:
+		if path:
+			dest_path = Path(path)
 
-		if dest_path.exists() and dest_path.is_dir():
-			return None
+			if must_exist:
+				if dest_path.exists() and dest_path.is_dir():
+					return None
+			else:
+				return None
 
 		return tr('Not a valid directory')
 
@@ -89,10 +95,15 @@ def validate_path(path: str) -> str | None:
 		default_text=preset,
 	).input()
 
-	if allow_skip and not result.has_item():
-		return None
+	match result.type_:
+		case ResultType.Skip:
+			return None
+		case ResultType.Selection:
+			if not result.text():
+				return None
+			return Path(result.text())
 
-	return Path(result.text())
+	return None
 
 
 def is_subpath(first: Path, second: Path) -> bool:
diff --git a/archinstall/tui/curses_menu.py b/archinstall/tui/curses_menu.py
index ea46deab2f..60ab7fdaa2 100644
--- a/archinstall/tui/curses_menu.py
+++ b/archinstall/tui/curses_menu.py
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ def __init__(
 		title: str,
 		edit_width: int = 50,
 		header: str | None = None,
-		validator: Callable[[str], str | None] | None = None,
+		validator: Callable[[str | None], str | None] | None = None,
 		allow_skip: bool = False,
 		allow_reset: bool = False,
 		reset_warning_msg: str | None = None,
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ def _get_input_text(self) -> str | None:
 
 		self.clear_all()
 
-		if text and self._validator:
+		if self._validator:
 			if (err := self._validator(text)) is not None:
 				self.clear_all()
 				entry = ViewportEntry(err, 0, 0, STYLE.ERROR)