diff --git a/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.down.sql b/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.down.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..833939ecf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.down.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+UPDATE demons
+SET level_id = NULL
+WHERE level_id IS NOT NULL
+    AND level_id NOT IN (
+        SELECT level_id
+        FROM gj_level
+    );
+-- if a demon was added when the constraint was dropped but had an invalid level_id (didn't appear in gj_level), it will be set to null
+ALTER TABLE demons
+ADD CONSTRAINT demons_level_id_fkey FOREIGN KEY (level_id) REFERENCES gj_level(level_id);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.up.sql b/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.up.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b7cb8a228
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20241229232706_no_level_id_ref.up.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE demons DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS demons_level_id_fkey;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/src/account/demons.rs b/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/src/account/demons.rs
index a5f0ca422..0791191cf 100644
--- a/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/src/account/demons.rs
+++ b/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/src/account/demons.rs
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ fn demon_submitter() -> Markup {
                         label for = "level_id" {
                             "Geometry Dash Level ID:"
                         }
-                        input type = "number" name = "level_id" required min = "1";
+                        input type = "number" name = "level_id" min = "1";
                         p.error {}
                     }
                     span.form-input.flex.col #demon-add-position {
diff --git a/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/static/js/account/demon.js b/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/static/js/account/demon.js
index 4323f3392..1325f4cf4 100644
--- a/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/static/js/account/demon.js
+++ b/pointercrate-demonlist-pages/static/js/account/demon.js
@@ -256,7 +256,6 @@ function setupDemonAdditionForm() {
   form.addValidators({
     "demon-add-name": { "Please specify a name": valueMissing },
     "demon-add-level-id": {
-      "Please specify a Geometry Dash level ID": valueMissing,
       "Level ID must be positive": rangeUnderflow,
     },
     "demon-add-position": {
diff --git a/pointercrate-test/tests/demonlist/demon.rs b/pointercrate-test/tests/demonlist/demon.rs
index 10d68a776..febccedd9 100644
--- a/pointercrate-test/tests/demonlist/demon.rs
+++ b/pointercrate-test/tests/demonlist/demon.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ async fn test_add_demon_ratelimits(pool: Pool<Postgres>) {
 
     let user = pointercrate_test::user::system_user_with_perms(LIST_MODERATOR, &mut *connection).await;
 
-    let demon = serde_json::json! {{"name": "Bloodbath", "requirement": 90, "position": 1, "verifier": "Riot", "publisher": "Riot", "creators": []}};
+    let demon = serde_json::json! {{"name": "Bloodbath", "requirement": 90, "position": 1, "verifier": "Riot", "publisher": "Riot", "creators": [], "level_id": 10565740}};
 
     // first one should succeed
     clnt.post("/api/v2/demons/", &demon)