diff --git a/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm.Tests/Validators/EntryValidatorTests.cs b/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm.Tests/Validators/EntryValidatorTests.cs
index 46c34ff27..63c033415 100644
--- a/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm.Tests/Validators/EntryValidatorTests.cs
+++ b/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm.Tests/Validators/EntryValidatorTests.cs
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ public void Succeeds_WhenComplexFormsContainEmptyGuid()
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void Succeeds_WhenComponentsContainEmptyGuid()
+    public void Fails_WhenComponentsContainEmptyGuid()
     {
         var entryId = Guid.NewGuid();
         var entry = new Entry() { Id = entryId, LexemeForm = new MultiString(){{"en", "lexeme"}}, Components = [new ComplexFormComponent(){ ComplexFormEntryId = entryId, ComponentEntryId = Guid.Empty }] };
-        _validator.TestValidate(entry).ShouldNotHaveAnyValidationErrors();
+        _validator.TestValidate(entry).ShouldHaveValidationErrorFor("Components[0]");
     }
 
     private void SetProperty(Entry entry, string propName, string content)
diff --git a/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm/Validators/EntryValidator.cs b/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm/Validators/EntryValidator.cs
index e2cc980fb..986caaf86 100644
--- a/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm/Validators/EntryValidator.cs
+++ b/backend/FwLite/MiniLcm/Validators/EntryValidator.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ public EntryValidator()
         RuleFor(e => e.LiteralMeaning).NoEmptyValues();
         RuleFor(e => e.Note).NoEmptyValues();
         RuleForEach(e => e.Senses).SetValidator(entry => new SenseValidator(entry));
+        RuleForEach(e => e.Components).Must(NotBeEmptyComponentReference);
         RuleForEach(e => e.Components).Must(NotBeComponentSelfReference);
         RuleForEach(e => e.Components).Must(HaveCorrectComponentEntryReference);
         RuleForEach(e => e.ComplexForms).Must(NotBeComplexFormSelfReference);
@@ -23,13 +24,19 @@ public EntryValidator()
         RuleForEach(e => e.ComplexFormTypes).SetValidator(new ComplexFormTypeValidator());
     }
 
+    private bool NotBeEmptyComponentReference(Entry entry, ComplexFormComponent component)
+    {
+        return component.ComponentEntryId != Guid.Empty;
+    }
+
     private bool NotBeComponentSelfReference(Entry entry, ComplexFormComponent component)
     {
-        return component.ComponentEntryId != entry.Id || component.ComponentEntryId == Guid.Empty;
+        return component.ComponentEntryId != entry.Id;
     }
 
     private bool HaveCorrectComponentEntryReference(Entry entry, ComplexFormComponent component)
     {
+        // Empty GUID is okay here because it can be guessed from the parent object
         return component.ComplexFormEntryId == entry.Id || component.ComplexFormEntryId == Guid.Empty;
     }
 
@@ -40,6 +47,7 @@ private bool NotBeComplexFormSelfReference(Entry entry, ComplexFormComponent com
 
     private bool HaveCorrectComplexFormEntryReference(Entry entry, ComplexFormComponent component)
     {
+        // Empty GUID is okay here because it can be guessed from the parent object
         return component.ComponentEntryId == entry.Id || component.ComponentEntryId == Guid.Empty;
     }
 }