diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/computer.py b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/computer.py
index 5d419a9d69..7e1cfc0859 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/computer.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/computer.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ def should_call_default_memory_per_machine(ctx):  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
     prompt='Default number of CPUs per machine',
     cls=InteractiveOption,
     prompt_fn=should_call_default_mpiprocs_per_machine,
-    required_fn=False,
+    required=False,
     type=click.INT,
     help='The default number of MPI processes that should be executed per machine (node), if not otherwise specified.'
     'Use 0 to specify no default value.',
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def should_call_default_memory_per_machine(ctx):  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
     prompt='Default amount of memory per machine (kB).',
     cls=InteractiveOption,
     prompt_fn=should_call_default_memory_per_machine,
-    required_fn=False,
+    required=False,
     type=click.INT,
     help='The default amount of RAM (kB) that should be allocated per machine (node), if not otherwise specified.'
 )
diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
index ab086b0e60..8372cb2006 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ def get_quicksetup_password(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argume
 SETUP_USER_EMAIL = options.USER_EMAIL.clone(
     prompt='Email Address (for sharing data)',
     default=get_config_option('autofill.user.email'),
-    required_fn=lambda x: get_config_option('autofill.user.email') is None,
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
@@ -185,7 +184,6 @@ def get_quicksetup_password(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argume
 SETUP_USER_FIRST_NAME = options.USER_FIRST_NAME.clone(
     prompt='First name',
     default=get_config_option('autofill.user.first_name'),
-    required_fn=lambda x: get_config_option('autofill.user.first_name') is None,
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
@@ -193,7 +191,6 @@ def get_quicksetup_password(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argume
 SETUP_USER_LAST_NAME = options.USER_LAST_NAME.clone(
     prompt='Last name',
     default=get_config_option('autofill.user.last_name'),
-    required_fn=lambda x: get_config_option('autofill.user.last_name') is None,
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
@@ -201,7 +198,6 @@ def get_quicksetup_password(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argume
 SETUP_USER_INSTITUTION = options.USER_INSTITUTION.clone(
     prompt='Institution',
     default=get_config_option('autofill.user.institution'),
-    required_fn=lambda x: get_config_option('autofill.user.institution') is None,
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/interactive.py b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/interactive.py
index 7c78c532d0..d4b5e42b23 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/interactive.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/interactive.py
@@ -115,7 +115,10 @@ def process_value(self, ctx: click.Context, value: t.Any) -> t.Any:
             return self.prompt_for_value(ctx)
 
         if value == self.CHARACTER_IGNORE_DEFAULT and source is click.core.ParameterSource.PROMPT:
-            return None
+            # This means the user does not want to set a specific value for this option, so the ``!`` character is
+            # translated to ``None`` and processed as normal. If the option is required, a validation error will be
+            # raised further down below, forcing the user to specify a valid value.
+            value = None
 
         try:
             return super().process_value(ctx, value)
diff --git a/tests/cmdline/params/options/test_interactive.py b/tests/cmdline/params/options/test_interactive.py
index 1e17ab3f1c..eaa3a7167f 100644
--- a/tests/cmdline/params/options/test_interactive.py
+++ b/tests/cmdline/params/options/test_interactive.py
@@ -485,6 +485,22 @@ def test_not_required_interactive_default(run_cli_command):
     assert expected in result.output
 
 
+def test_interactive_ignore_default_not_required_option(run_cli_command):
+    """Test that if an option is not required ``!`` is accepted and is translated to ``None``."""
+    cmd = create_command(required=False)
+    result = run_cli_command(cmd, user_input='!\n')
+    expected = 'Opt: !\nNone\n'
+    assert expected in result.output
+
+
+def test_interactive_ignore_default_required_option(run_cli_command):
+    """Test that if an option is required, ``!`` is translated to ``None`` and so is not accepted."""
+    cmd = create_command(required=True)
+    result = run_cli_command(cmd, user_input='!\nvalue\n')
+    expected = 'Opt: !\nError: Missing parameter: opt\nOpt: value\nvalue\n'
+    assert expected in result.output
+
+
 def test_get_help_message():
     """Test the :meth:`aiida.cmdline.params.options.interactive.InteractiveOption.get_help_message`."""
     option = InteractiveOption('-s', type=click.STRING)