# Required Fallback values on personalization tokens? **URL:** \ **Category:** Email Marketing Tool\ **Tags:** email, marketing, contacts\ **Created:** [July 29, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632 "2026-07-29T20:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JsonRoth\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@JsonRoth\_1](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JsonRoth_1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/1 "2026-07-29T20:34:23Z")
Has a Fallback value always been required? I don’t remember this being the case. Is there a workaround/setting to disable this? ![image](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/9/1/91eb4da7078aea781aeb6bc4705f466338b01274.png) ---
**Author:** ![STierney](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/stierney/32/186066_2.png) [@STierney](https://community.hubspot.com/u/STierney)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/3 "2026-07-29T23:34:36Z")
Hey @JsonRoth_1, Thanks so much for posting in the Community! I’m reading through our [knowledge base article on setting unique fallback values for personalization tokens](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/create-default-values-for-personalization-tokens#set-unique-fallback-values-for-emails-pages-and-sms-messages:~:text=Set%20unique%20fallback,the%20same%20content.), and it emphasizes that users _can_ set these values; but nowhere does it specify that these are required. The only factor I’ll point out, because I can’t see _where_ you took this screenshot, is that “A Content Hub Professional or Enterprise subscription is required to add personalization tokens to website and landing pages.” Additionally, The Marketing SMS Long Code Add-On or Marketing SMS Short Code Add-On is required to add personalization tokens to SMS messages." ([see here](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/marketing-email/create-default-values-for-personalization-tokens#set-unique-fallback-values-for-emails-pages-and-sms-messages:~:text=Subscription%20required)) If you’re attempting to add this token in any of these locations, your subscription may be the issue, which may not have been the case before. Shane, Senior Community Moderator ---
**Author:** ![henry\_collins](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/henry_collins/32/22544_2.png) [@henry\_collins](https://community.hubspot.com/u/henry_collins)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/4 "2026-07-29T23:37:13Z")
It may depend on the field type or a recent update/change in the platform. If there’s no setting to disable it, the usual workaround is to use a neutral default value that won’t affect the actual logic. ---
**Author:** ![JsonRoth\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@JsonRoth\_1](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JsonRoth_1)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/5 "2026-07-30T01:56:32Z")
Hi Shane, the screenshot is from the email build module, when you click “personalize”. It won’t flag you, but the insert button remains gray until you add a character value, a space won’t suffice. Appreciate the note. ---
**Author:** ![JsonRoth\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@JsonRoth\_1](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JsonRoth_1)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 1:58am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/6 "2026-07-30T01:58:26Z")
Yes, went with a neutral default value that fit the email. Was hoping there was something more formal. ---
**Author:** ![karstenkoehler](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/karstenkoehler/32/68554_2.png) [@karstenkoehler](https://community.hubspot.com/u/karstenkoehler)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 3:58am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/7 "2026-07-30T03:58:49Z")
Hi @JsonRoth_1, After adding a fallback value, you can remove it in the email source code: ![image](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/c/8/c8359567ca6880a918df099c2287a49965b05231.png) ![image](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/9/7/971b8c64a35218645a21b53c8a1183ce1135ef80.png) In the source code, change the personalization syntax to {{ contact.lastname }} and you should be able to publish the email. ![image](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/7/c/7cf91abc899d28098b2f385e7d98065678581836.png) And yes, this has been required for some time, it hasn’t changed recently. Best regards! ---
**Author:** ![JsonRoth\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@JsonRoth\_1](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JsonRoth_1)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/required-fallback-values-on-personalization-tokens/154632/8 "2026-07-30T13:48:36Z")
This is brilliant. Exactly the solve I was looking for. Thank you Karsten!