diff --git a/src/Fields/Field.php b/src/Fields/Field.php
index 2af853df882..9c72f715fd6 100644
--- a/src/Fields/Field.php
+++ b/src/Fields/Field.php
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ public function isRequired()
         return collect($this->rules()[$this->handle])->contains('required');
     }
 
-    private function hasSometimesRule()
+    public function hasSometimesRule()
     {
         return collect($this->rules()[$this->handle])->contains('sometimes');
     }
diff --git a/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php b/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
index d5ca4200819..3bacea22de8 100644
--- a/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
+++ b/src/Fieldtypes/Link.php
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public function preload()
     private function initialOption($value, $entry, $asset)
     {
         if (! $value) {
-            $fallback = $this->field->isRequired() ? 'url' : null;
+            $fallback = $this->field->isRequired() && ! $this->field->hasSometimesRule() ? 'url' : null;
             $option = $this->field->get('default_option', $fallback);
 
             if ($option === 'first-child' && ! $this->showFirstChildOption()) {
diff --git a/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php b/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
index bdab29b236d..d194514389f 100644
--- a/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
+++ b/tests/Fieldtypes/LinkTest.php
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ public static function initialOptionProvider(): array
             'asset falls back to url when unavailable and required' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'asset', 'required' => true], null, false, 'url'],
             'asset falls back to null when unavailable and optional' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'asset'], null, false, null],
             'existing value overrides default option' => [['type' => 'link', 'default_option' => 'entry'], 'https://example.com', false, 'url'],
+            'null when has sometimes rule even if required' => [['type' => 'link', 'required' => true, 'validate' => 'sometimes'], null, false, null],
         ];
     }
 }