diff --git a/ui/cap-react/cypress.config.js b/ui/cap-react/cypress.config.js
index 5b7469f8ed..be7c6322c9 100644
--- a/ui/cap-react/cypress.config.js
+++ b/ui/cap-react/cypress.config.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-const { defineConfig } = require("cypress");
+import { defineConfig } from "cypress";
 
-module.exports = defineConfig({
+export default defineConfig({
   projectId: "4mpnou",
   video: false,
   downloadsFolder: "cypress/downloads",
diff --git a/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/drafts/create_draft_spec.js b/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/drafts/create_draft_spec.js
index f8f2aa98bf..cb2d1bb452 100644
--- a/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/drafts/create_draft_spec.js
+++ b/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/drafts/create_draft_spec.js
@@ -69,4 +69,23 @@ describe("Create Draft", function () {
 
     cy.url().should("not.include", DRAFTS);
   });
+
+  it("Save a draft with an empty required field", () => {
+    cy.loginUrl("info@inveniosoftware.org", "infoinfo");
+
+    // navigate to the draft
+    cy.get("[data-cy=DraftDocuments-list] a").first().click();
+
+    // navigate to edit tab
+    cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavEdit]").click();
+
+    // type in a normal field but leave the required field empty
+    cy.get("textarea#root\\!basic_info\\!abstract").type("whatever");
+
+    // save the draft
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draft-save-btn]").click();
+
+    // validate save
+    cy.get("div.ant-notification-notice-message").contains("Draft saved");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/published/published_spec.js b/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/published/published_spec.js
index 973259f037..8b8de14cb4 100644
--- a/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/published/published_spec.js
+++ b/ui/cap-react/cypress/e2e/published/published_spec.js
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@ describe("Published Tests", function () {
 
     cy.get("[data-cy=DraftDocuments-list] a").first().click();
 
+    // navigate to edit tab
+    cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavEdit]").click();
+
+    // fill in the required field
+    cy.get("input#root\\!basic_info\\!cadi_id").type("JME-10-107");
+
+    //save the draft
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draft-save-btn]").click();
+
     // navigate to settings tab
     cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavSettings]").click();
 
@@ -45,6 +54,55 @@ describe("Published Tests", function () {
 
     cy.get("[data-cy=changeToDraftButton]").click();
 
-    cy.get("[ data-cy=sidebarStatus]").contains("draft");
+    cy.get("[data-cy=sidebarStatus]").contains("draft");
+  });
+
+  it("Does not allow publishing a draft with an empty required field", () => {
+    cy.createDraft("CMS Analysis", "empty-required", "cms");
+
+    cy.visit("/");
+
+    cy.get("[data-cy=DraftDocuments-list] a").first().click();
+
+    // 1. Check that the validation works without modifying the form data
+
+    // navigate to settings tab
+    cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavSettings]").click();
+
+    // click publish button
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draftSettingsRecidButton]").click();
+
+    // confirm publish action
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draftSettingsPublish]").click();
+
+    // verify that it throws an error
+    cy.get("div.ant-notification-notice-message").contains(
+      "Validation Error while publishing"
+    );
+
+    // 2. Check the that the validation works after modifying the form data
+
+    // navigate to edit tab
+    cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavEdit]").click();
+
+    // type in a normal field but leave the required field empty
+    cy.get("textarea#root\\!basic_info\\!abstract").type("asd");
+
+    // save the draft
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draft-save-btn]").click();
+
+    // navigate to settings tab
+    cy.get("[data-cy=itemNavSettings]").click();
+
+    // click publish button
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draftSettingsRecidButton]").click();
+
+    // confirm publish action
+    cy.get("[data-cy=draftSettingsPublish]").click();
+
+    // verify that it throws an error
+    cy.get("div.ant-notification-notice-message").contains(
+      "Validation Error while publishing"
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/DraftItemNav/NavMenu.js b/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/DraftItemNav/NavMenu.js
index 6ff5d84a65..79c91ac4a2 100644
--- a/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/DraftItemNav/NavMenu.js
+++ b/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/DraftItemNav/NavMenu.js
@@ -24,7 +24,14 @@ const NavMenu = ({ match, history, formErrors }) => {
         },
         {
           key: "edit",
-          label: <Link to={`/drafts/${match.params.draft_id}/edit`}>Edit</Link>,
+          label: (
+            <Link
+              data-cy="itemNavEdit"
+              to={`/drafts/${match.params.draft_id}/edit`}
+            >
+              Edit
+            </Link>
+          ),
           icon: <TagOutlined />,
           danger: formErrors && formErrors.size > 0,
         },
diff --git a/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/Editor/Header.js b/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/Editor/Header.js
index 81a467866e..d4c463d81a 100644
--- a/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/Editor/Header.js
+++ b/ui/cap-react/src/antd/drafts/components/Editor/Header.js
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ const Header = ({
         disabled={mode != "edit" || !canEdit(canAdmin, canUpdate)}
         loading={loading}
         onClick={_saveData}
+        data-cy="draft-save-btn"
       >
         Save
       </Button>