Index: sites/all/modules/cck/nodereference.module
===================================================================
--- sites/all/modules/cck/nodereference.module	(revision 437)
+++ sites/all/modules/cck/nodereference.module	(working copy)
@@ -196,10 +196,12 @@
 
         $options = _nodereference_potential_references($field, true);
         foreach ($options as $key => $value) {
-          $options[$key] = _nodereference_item($field, $value);
+          $options[$key] = _nodereference_item($field, $value);
         }
         if (!$field['required']) {
           $options = array(0 => t('<none>')) + $options;
+        } else if (!$field['multiple']) {
+			$options = array('none' => t('Select')) + $options;        	
         }
 
         $form[$field['field_name']] = array('#tree' => TRUE);
@@ -209,7 +211,8 @@
           '#default_value' => $items['default nids'],
           '#multiple' => $field['multiple'],
           '#size' =>  $field['multiple'] ? min(count($options), 6) : 0,
-          '#options' => $options,
+          '#options' => $options,
+          '#validate' => array('validate_nodereference_select' => array() ),
           '#required' => $field['required'],
           '#description' => t($field['widget']['description']),
         );
@@ -483,4 +486,11 @@
   $options = array(0 => t('<empty>'));
   $options = $options + _nodereference_potential_references($filterinfo['extra']['field']);
   return $options;
+}
+
+function validate_nodereference_select(&$form_values) {
+	//printr($form_values);
+	if ($form_values['#value'] == 'none') {
+		form_set_error($form_values['#parents'][0], t($form_values['#title'].' is required.') );		 
+	}
 }
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