diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem/client/util/SimpleWriterBase.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem/client/util/SimpleWriterBase.cpp
index ca399bf8f64a2fd347d17c31587d33639cded032..9e27df2c2ef5d7af53529502489085e4f43c231d 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem/client/util/SimpleWriterBase.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem/client/util/SimpleWriterBase.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ namespace armarx::armem::client::util
         def->optional(props.memoryName, prefix + "Memory");
         def->optional(props.coreSegmentName, prefix + "CoreSegment");
 
-        def->required(props.providerName,
+        // TODO(fabian.reister): this might also be part of the subclass
+        //  if the provider name has to be derived from e.g. the component name
+        def->optional(props.providerName,
                       prefix + "Provider",
                       "Name of this provider");
     }