diff --git a/packages/connect-react/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/connect-react/CHANGELOG.md
index 4c9ed77039580..71c3730977be6 100644
--- a/packages/connect-react/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/connect-react/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 <!-- markdownlint-disable MD024 -->
 # Changelog
 
+# [1.0.0-preview.20] - 2025-01-16
+
+- Check if a string prop is set instead of inspecting the contents of the string
+
 # [1.0.0-preview.15] - 2024-12-18
 
 - Emit dynamic props via `onUpdateDynamicProps`
diff --git a/packages/connect-react/examples/nextjs/package-lock.json b/packages/connect-react/examples/nextjs/package-lock.json
index 26d7a03f4680b..f175221cd4da7 100644
--- a/packages/connect-react/examples/nextjs/package-lock.json
+++ b/packages/connect-react/examples/nextjs/package-lock.json
@@ -566,9 +566,9 @@
       "link": true
     },
     "node_modules/@pipedream/sdk": {
-      "version": "1.1.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pipedream/sdk/-/sdk-1.1.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Xjozgk/uhUyz+3h8OHXNUTaEDik1Y4kzDPmlfjeHqimwyLmY+QuRVsQCqvs4VZBSCt4fhzQt197O1aqFE+5E2g==",
+      "version": "1.1.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pipedream/sdk/-/sdk-1.1.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-q+dGMsNSvIcDCi6JZES7pwNBW8Ms318WMNavO71Cye0bCtloeDSj5TiFbScy64/2FHja9keKAZ9ev8yVSsM+ew==",
       "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE",
       "dependencies": {
         "@rails/actioncable": "^8.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/connect-react/package.json b/packages/connect-react/package.json
index 4c3e17869e8a0..9ef4b1a8dff0f 100644
--- a/packages/connect-react/package.json
+++ b/packages/connect-react/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@pipedream/connect-react",
-  "version": "1.0.0-preview.19",
+  "version": "1.0.0-preview.20",
   "description": "Pipedream Connect library for React",
   "files": [
     "dist"
diff --git a/packages/connect-react/src/utils/component.ts b/packages/connect-react/src/utils/component.ts
index f2d5d45b329a4..1f1ad30f39e08 100644
--- a/packages/connect-react/src/utils/component.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-react/src/utils/component.ts
@@ -94,16 +94,13 @@ export function integerPropErrors(opts: ValidationOpts<ConfigurablePropInteger>)
 }
 
 export function stringPropErrors(opts: ValidationOpts<ConfigurablePropString>): string[] | undefined {
-  const _value = valueFromOption(opts.value)
+  const {
+    prop, value: valueOpt,
+  } = opts
 
-  if (!opts.prop.default) {
-    if (typeof _value === "undefined" || _value == null) return [
-      "required",
-    ]
-    if (!String(_value).length) return [
-      "string must not be empty",
-    ]
-  }
+  if (!prop.default && (valueOpt == null || typeof value === "undefined")) return [
+    "required",
+  ]
 }
 
 type AppWithExtractedCustomFields = App & {