Link or imageLink compound fields disregard their 'required' validation

I can set the imagelink or normal link compound fields to required but can nevertheless still save and publish documents without actually filling in those fields.

Repro steps:
Open the Hippo Ga Groen > about > about document for example has both an image and link compound field added to it and set to required but no check is performed on it on save.

Most likely cause: the link has a default value pointing to the jcr:root node (cafebabe-cafe-babe-cafe-babecafebabe).