diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 457f977..c0592bd 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
                                 <fieldset class="form-group">
                                     <legend>Check Group</legend>
                                     <span class="form-group__item">
-                                        <input data-validation='{"maxCount": 2}' id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox" name="checks">
+                                        <input id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox" name="checks">
                                         <label for="checkbox-1">Checkbox 1</label>
                                     </span>
                                     <span class="form-group__item">
diff --git a/validation.js b/validation.js
index ca4fe1e..4174d77 100644
--- a/validation.js
+++ b/validation.js
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ class Validation {
         const nameAttrVal = fieldInstance.el.name
 
         if (!fieldInstance.optional && this.validateForBlank(fieldInstance) ||
-           (fieldInstance.optional && fieldInstance.el.value !== '')) {
+           (fieldInstance.optional && (fieldInstance.el.value !== '' && fieldInstance.el.checked))) {
             switch (fieldInstance.el.type) {
                 case 'checkbox':
                     this.validateCheckbox(fieldInstance, nameAttrVal)