diff --git a/lib/submissions/normalize_param_utils.rb b/lib/submissions/normalize_param_utils.rb
index 388a55bc..6ad4da23 100644
--- a/lib/submissions/normalize_param_utils.rb
+++ b/lib/submissions/normalize_param_utils.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ module Submissions
     end
 
     def normalize_submitter_params!(submitter_params, template, index = nil, for_submitter: nil)
-      default_values = submitter_params[:values] || {}
+      with_values = submitter_params[:values].present?
+
+      default_values = with_values ? submitter_params[:values] : {}
 
       submitter_params[:fields]&.each do |f|
         default_values[f[:name].presence || f[:uuid]] = f[:default_value] if f.key?(:default_value)
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ module Submissions
                                                          template.submitters.dig(index, 'name'),
                                          role_names: submitter_params[:roles],
                                          for_submitter:,
-                                         throw_errors: true)
+                                         throw_errors: !with_values)
 
       submitter_params[:values] = values