diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.cpp
index 703ef91aa2eea9d00ea09b88255b68ffacba68bc..9062747de124ac3db5ba37e3f14f2b8cdfc7b692 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace armarx::armem::articulated_object
         def->optional(properties.coreClassSegmentName,
                       prefix + "CoreSegment",
                       "Name of the memory core segment to use for object classes.");
-        def->optional(properties.providerName, prefix + "ProviderName");
+        def->required(properties.providerName, prefix + "ProviderName", "Name of this provider");
     }
 
     void Writer::connect()
diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.h b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.h
index 7e450b0464d1b571791392beb4622afc77444f5b..f2031dd402e546a21a80a17c28f8b2e4107f9059 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.h
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_objects/client/articulated_object/Writer.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace armarx::armem::articulated_object
             std::string memoryName              = "Object";
             std::string coreInstanceSegmentName = "ArticulatedObjectInstance";
             std::string coreClassSegmentName    = "ArticulatedObjectClass";
-            std::string providerName            = "ArmarXObjects";
+            std::string providerName;
 
             bool allowClassCreation             = false;
         } properties;