diff --git a/src/wuttafarm/web/views/animals.py b/src/wuttafarm/web/views/animals.py
index b415cd6..fbad4ce 100644
--- a/src/wuttafarm/web/views/animals.py
+++ b/src/wuttafarm/web/views/animals.py
@@ -201,12 +201,17 @@ class AnimalAssetView(AssetMasterView):
         f = form
         super().configure_form(f)
         enum = self.app.enum
+        animal = f.model_instance
 
         # animal_type
         f.set_node("animal_type", AnimalTypeRef(self.request))
 
         # sex
-        f.set_node("sex", WuttaDictEnum(self.request, enum.ANIMAL_SEX))
+        if self.viewing and animal.sex is None:
+            pass  # TODO: dict enum widget does not handle null values well
+        else:
+            f.set_node("sex", WuttaDictEnum(self.request, enum.ANIMAL_SEX))
+            f.set_required("sex", False)
 
 
 def defaults(config, **kwargs):
diff --git a/src/wuttafarm/web/views/assets.py b/src/wuttafarm/web/views/assets.py
index 682e258..f0ebefe 100644
--- a/src/wuttafarm/web/views/assets.py
+++ b/src/wuttafarm/web/views/assets.py
@@ -199,8 +199,11 @@ class AssetMasterView(WuttaFarmMasterView):
             f.set_readonly("asset_type")
 
         # parents
-        f.set_node("parents", AssetParentRefs(self.request))
-        f.set_default("parents", [p.parent_uuid for p in asset.asset._parents])
+        if self.creating or self.editing:
+            f.remove("parents")  # TODO: add support for this
+        else:
+            f.set_node("parents", AssetParentRefs(self.request))
+            f.set_default("parents", [p.parent_uuid for p in asset.asset._parents])
 
         # notes
         f.set_widget("notes", "notes")