diff --git a/src/active/data/realm/schema.cljc b/src/active/data/realm/schema.cljc
index a3d5d84..4b7eed1 100644
--- a/src/active/data/realm/schema.cljc
+++ b/src/active/data/realm/schema.cljc
@@ -131,8 +131,9 @@
    (into {}
          (map (fn [[key realm]]
                 (if (realm-inspection/optional? realm)
+                  ;; make both keys and value optional - (:key {}) == (:key {:key nil})
                   [(schema/optional-key key)
-                   (schema (realm-inspection/optional-realm-realm realm))]
+                   (schema realm)]
                   [(schema/required-key key)
                    (schema realm)]))
               (realm-inspection/map-with-keys-realm-map realm)))
diff --git a/test/active/data/realm/validation_test.cljc b/test/active/data/realm/validation_test.cljc
index e1a2de3..df6e29a 100644
--- a/test/active/data/realm/validation_test.cljc
+++ b/test/active/data/realm/validation_test.cljc
@@ -15,3 +15,10 @@
                (realm-validation/checking
                 (twoify "7")))))
 
+(deftest key-value-optional-test
+  ;; optional value realm results in both optional value and optional key schema
+  (let [map-realm (realm/map-with-keys {:key (realm/optional realm/string)})
+        check (realm-validation/validator map-realm)]
+    (is (= {:key nil} (check {:key nil})))
+    (is (= {} (check {})))
+    (is (= {:key "foo"} (check {:key "foo"})))))