diff --git a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseRequestBuilder.cs b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseRequestBuilder.cs
index 7742fda5..9c855f43 100644
--- a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseRequestBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseRequestBuilder.cs
@@ -9,29 +9,19 @@ namespace Recyclarr.Notifications.Apprise;
 
 public sealed class AppriseRequestBuilder(
     IFlurlClientCache clientCache,
-    ISettings<NotificationSettings> settings,
+    ISettings<NotificationSettings> notificationSettings,
     IEnumerable<FlurlSpecificEventHandler> eventHandlers)
     : IAppriseRequestBuilder
 {
-    private readonly Lazy<Uri> _baseUrl = new(() =>
+    public IFlurlRequest Request(params object[] path)
     {
-        var apprise = settings.Value.Apprise;
+        var apprise = notificationSettings.Value.Apprise;
         if (apprise is null)
         {
             throw new ArgumentException("No apprise notification settings have been defined");
         }
 
-        if (apprise.BaseUrl is null)
-        {
-            throw new ArgumentException("Apprise `base_url` setting is not present or empty");
-        }
-
-        return apprise.BaseUrl;
-    });
-
-    public IFlurlRequest Request(params object[] path)
-    {
-        var client = clientCache.GetOrAdd("apprise", _baseUrl.Value.ToString(), Configure);
+        var client = clientCache.GetOrAdd("apprise", apprise.BaseUrl.ToString(), Configure);
         return client.Request(path);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatefulNotificationApiService.cs b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatefulNotificationApiService.cs
index f1c1f36b..2aefb3b4 100644
--- a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatefulNotificationApiService.cs
+++ b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatefulNotificationApiService.cs
@@ -10,11 +10,6 @@ public class AppriseStatefulNotificationApiService(IAppriseRequestBuilder api) :
         AppriseNotificationSettings settings,
         Func<AppriseNotification, AppriseNotification> notificationBuilder)
     {
-        if (settings.Key is null)
-        {
-            throw new ArgumentException("Stateful apprise notifications require the 'key' node");
-        }
-
         var notification = notificationBuilder(new AppriseStatefulNotification
         {
             Tag = settings.Tags
diff --git a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatelessNotificationApiService.cs b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatelessNotificationApiService.cs
index aa9b6cba..750f7e0b 100644
--- a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatelessNotificationApiService.cs
+++ b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Notifications/Apprise/AppriseStatelessNotificationApiService.cs
@@ -10,11 +10,6 @@ public class AppriseStatelessNotificationApiService(IAppriseRequestBuilder api)
         AppriseNotificationSettings settings,
         Func<AppriseNotification, AppriseNotification> notificationBuilder)
     {
-        if (settings.Urls is null)
-        {
-            throw new ArgumentException("Stateless apprise notifications require the 'urls' array");
-        }
-
         var notification = notificationBuilder(new AppriseStatelessNotification
         {
             Urls = settings.Urls
diff --git a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettings.cs b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettings.cs
index f4da9b25..af0158b8 100644
--- a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettings.cs
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ public record NotificationSettings
 public record AppriseNotificationSettings
 {
     public AppriseMode? Mode { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; }
-    public Uri? BaseUrl { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; }
-    public string? Key { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; }
-    public string? Tags { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; }
+    public Uri BaseUrl { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; } = new("about:empty");
+    public string Key { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; } = "";
+    public string Tags { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; } = "";
     public Collection<string> Urls { get; [UsedImplicitly] init; } = [];
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettingsValidator.cs b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettingsValidator.cs
index d54b802a..4323f943 100644
--- a/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettingsValidator.cs
+++ b/src/Recyclarr.Core/Settings/RecyclarrSettingsValidator.cs
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@ public class AppriseNotificationSettingsValidator : AbstractValidator<AppriseNot
 {
     public AppriseNotificationSettingsValidator()
     {
-        RuleFor(x => x.Mode).NotNull()
+        RuleFor(x => x.Mode)
+            .NotNull()
             .WithMessage("`mode` is required for apprise notifications");
 
-        RuleFor(x => x.BaseUrl).NotEmpty()
+        RuleFor(x => x.BaseUrl)
+            .NotEmpty()
             .WithMessage("`base_url` is required for apprise notifications");
 
         RuleFor(x => x.Urls)