diff --git a/uc_option_image.module b/uc_option_image.module
index bdb680d..4f53bbe 100644
--- a/uc_option_image.module
+++ b/uc_option_image.module
@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ function uc_option_image_nodeapi(&$node, $op, $a3 = NULL, $a4 = NULL) {
             }
 
             // Load the default image file
-            $file = uc_option_image_load($node->nid, $first_attribute->aid, $default_option);
+            if ($first_attribute->required) {
+              $file = uc_option_image_load(0, 0, 0);
+            }
+            else {
+              $file = uc_option_image_load($node->nid, $first_attribute->aid, $default_option);
+            }
 
             // Display the image based on teaser/page view
             // Ensure that original file exists
@@ -597,9 +602,14 @@ function uc_option_image_theme() {
  */
 function theme_uc_option_image($aid, $file, $size = '_original', $node) {
   $shownoimage = TRUE;
+  // see note about $file being passed reference below
+  $filepath = $file->filepath;
 
   if (!variable_get('uc_option_image_show_noimage', FALSE) && $file->filename == 'option_image_0_0_0') {
-    $file->filepath = NULL;
+    // it would appear $file is passed by reference... set $filepath to NULL
+    // isntead of $file->filepath, which would cause any future lookups to be
+    // lacking a proper filepath
+    $filepath = NULL;
     $shownoimage = FALSE;
   }
 
@@ -611,10 +621,10 @@ function theme_uc_option_image($aid, $file, $size = '_original', $node) {
 
   if ($shownoimage) {
     if ($size != '_original') {
-      $imagecache_image = theme('imagecache', $size, $file->filepath, NULL, NULL, $attributes);
+      $imagecache_image = theme('imagecache', $size, $filepath, NULL, NULL, $attributes);
     }
     else {
-      $imagecache_image =  theme('image', $file->filepath, NULL, NULL, $attributes, FALSE);
+      $imagecache_image =  theme('image', $filepath, NULL, NULL, $attributes, FALSE);
     }
   }