diff --git a/entity-api-spec.yaml b/entity-api-spec.yaml
index d609184b..f84dcddb 100644
--- a/entity-api-spec.yaml
+++ b/entity-api-spec.yaml
@@ -842,6 +842,10 @@ components:
           type: string
           readOnly: true
           description: 'A HuBMAP Consortium wide unique identifier randomly generated in the format HBM###.ABCD.### for every entity.'
+        error_message:
+          type: string
+          readOnly: false
+          description: 'An open text field that holds the last error message that arose from pipeline validation or analysis.'
         last_modified_timestamp:
           type: integer
           readOnly: true
@@ -1476,6 +1480,7 @@ components:
         created_by_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
         uuid: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
         hubmap_id: 'HBM123.ABCD.456'
+        error_message: 'An error has occurred'
         last_modified_timestamp: 1710243867000
         last_modified_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
         last_modified_user_email: 'janedoe@example.com'
@@ -1816,6 +1821,7 @@ components:
           created_by_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           uuid: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           hubmap_id: 'HBM123.ABCD.456'
+          error_message: 'An error has occurred'
           last_modified_timestamp: 1710243867000
           last_modified_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           last_modified_user_email: 'janedoe@example.com'
@@ -1837,6 +1843,7 @@ components:
           created_by_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           uuid: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           hubmap_id: 'HBM123.ABCD.456'
+          error_message: 'An error has occurred'
           last_modified_timestamp: 1710243867000
           last_modified_user_sub: 'abcd1234-ef56-gh78-ij90-klmnop123456'
           last_modified_user_email: 'janedoe@example.com'
diff --git a/src/schema/provenance_schema.yaml b/src/schema/provenance_schema.yaml
index 24b350fe..3ff507e6 100644
--- a/src/schema/provenance_schema.yaml
+++ b/src/schema/provenance_schema.yaml
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ ENTITIES:
         description: "True if the data contains any human genetic sequence information."
       error_message:
         type: string
-        indexed: true
+        indexed: false
         description: "An open text field that holds the last error message that arose from pipeline validation or analysis."
       status:
         type: string
@@ -1342,6 +1342,10 @@ ENTITIES:
           - validate_priority_project
         before_property_create_validators:
           - validate_priority_project
+      error_message:
+        type: string
+        indexed: false
+        description: "An open text field that holds the last error message that arose from pipeline validation or analysis."
 
   ############################################# EPICollection #############################################
   Epicollection:
diff --git a/src/schema/schema_validators.py b/src/schema/schema_validators.py
index 244277f6..8e2d4255 100644
--- a/src/schema/schema_validators.py
+++ b/src/schema/schema_validators.py
@@ -811,13 +811,15 @@ def validate_in_admin_group(property_key, normalized_entity_type, request, exist
 """
 def validate_group_name(property_key, normalized_entity_type, request, existing_data_dict, new_data_dict):
     assigned_to_group_name = new_data_dict['assigned_to_group_name']
-    globus_groups = schema_manager.get_auth_helper_instance().getHuBMAPGroupInfo()
-    group_dict = next((entry for entry in globus_groups.values() if entry.get("displayname") == assigned_to_group_name), None)
-    if group_dict is None:
-        raise ValueError("Invalid value for 'assigned_to_group_name'")
-    is_data_provider = group_dict.get('data_provider')
-    if not is_data_provider:
-        raise ValueError("Invalid group in 'assigned_to_group_name'. Must be a data provider")
+    # If method is PUT, an empty string is allowed, thus validation is skipped. But if a value is given, it must still be validated. 
+    if not (request.method == "PUT" and (not assigned_to_group_name or not str(assigned_to_group_name).strip())):
+        globus_groups = schema_manager.get_auth_helper_instance().getHuBMAPGroupInfo()
+        group_dict = next((entry for entry in globus_groups.values() if entry.get("displayname") == assigned_to_group_name), None)
+        if group_dict is None:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid value for 'assigned_to_group_name'")
+        is_data_provider = group_dict.get('data_provider')
+        if not is_data_provider:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid group in 'assigned_to_group_name'. Must be a data provider")
 
 
 """