diff --git a/actix_admin_macros/src/lib.rs b/actix_admin_macros/src/lib.rs
index 5e8da64..1fb0274 100644
--- a/actix_admin_macros/src/lib.rs
+++ b/actix_admin_macros/src/lib.rs
@@ -77,9 +77,12 @@ pub fn derive_actix_admin_view_model(input: proc_macro::TokenStream) -> proc_mac
 
             fn validate_entity(model: &mut ActixAdminModel) {
                 Entity::validate_model(model);
-                
-                let custom_errors = Entity::validate(&model);
-                model.custom_errors = custom_errors;
+
+                if !model.has_errors() {
+                    let active_model = ActiveModel::from(model.clone());
+                    let custom_errors = Entity::validate(&active_model);
+                    model.custom_errors = custom_errors;
+                }
             } 
 
             async fn create_entity(db: &DatabaseConnection, mut model: ActixAdminModel) -> ActixAdminModel {
diff --git a/example/src/entity/comment.rs b/example/src/entity/comment.rs
index 8bc66bd..a38535e 100644
--- a/example/src/entity/comment.rs
+++ b/example/src/entity/comment.rs
@@ -38,4 +38,14 @@ impl Related<super::post::Entity> for Entity {
     }
 }
 
-impl ActiveModelBehavior for ActiveModel {}
\ No newline at end of file
+impl ActiveModelBehavior for ActiveModel {}
+
+impl ActixAdminModelValidationTrait<ActiveModel> for Entity {
+    fn validate(model: &ActiveModel) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+        let mut errors = HashMap::new();
+        if model.my_decimal.clone().unwrap() < Decimal::from(100 as i16) {
+            errors.insert("my_decimal".to_string(), "Must be larger than 100".to_string());
+        }
+        errors
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example/src/entity/post.rs b/example/src/entity/post.rs
index 65c490e..50ce13c 100644
--- a/example/src/entity/post.rs
+++ b/example/src/entity/post.rs
@@ -74,4 +74,6 @@ impl Display for Tea {
             Tea::BreakfastTea => write!(formatter, "{}", String::from("BreakfastTea")),
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+impl ActixAdminModelValidationTrait<ActiveModel> for Entity {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index aad41c5..cb7a908 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pub mod builder;
 
 pub mod prelude {
     pub use crate::builder::{ ActixAdminBuilder, ActixAdminBuilderTrait};
-    pub use crate::model::{ ActixAdminModel, ActixAdminModelTrait};
+    pub use crate::model::{ ActixAdminModel, ActixAdminModelValidationTrait, ActixAdminModelTrait};
     pub use crate::view_model::{ ActixAdminViewModel, ActixAdminViewModelTrait, ActixAdminViewModelField, ActixAdminViewModelSerializable, ActixAdminViewModelFieldType };
     pub use actix_admin_macros::{ DeriveActixAdmin, DeriveActixAdminModel, DeriveActixAdminViewModel, DeriveActixAdminEnumSelectList, DeriveActixAdminModelSelectList };
     pub use crate::{ ActixAdminAppDataTrait, ActixAdmin, ActixAdminConfiguration };
diff --git a/src/model.rs b/src/model.rs
index 6ccd168..744b657 100644
--- a/src/model.rs
+++ b/src/model.rs
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ pub trait ActixAdminModelTrait {
     ) -> (usize, Vec<ActixAdminModel>);
     fn get_fields() -> Vec<ActixAdminViewModelField>;
     fn validate_model(model: &mut ActixAdminModel);
-    // function to be overridable for custom error handling
-    fn validate(_model: &ActixAdminModel) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+}
+
+pub trait ActixAdminModelValidationTrait<T> {
+    fn validate(_model: &T) -> HashMap<String, String> {
         return HashMap::new();
     }
 }
diff --git a/templates/create_or_edit.html b/templates/create_or_edit.html
index 250e83a..4e647a9 100644
--- a/templates/create_or_edit.html
+++ b/templates/create_or_edit.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     {% for model_field in view_model.fields -%}
     <div class="field">
         <label class="{{ model_field | get_html_input_type }}" for="{{ model_field.field_name }}">
-            {{ model_field.field_name | split(pat="_") | join(sep=" ") | title }}
+            {{ model_field.field_name | split(pat="_") | join(sep=" ") | title }}{% if not model_field.is_option %} *{% endif %}
         </label>
         <div class="control">
         {% if model_field.field_type == "SelectList" %}      
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
             {% include "form_elements/input.html" %}
         {% endif %}
         </div>
+        {% if model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" %}
+            <p class="help is-danger">{{ model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name) }}</p>
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if model.custom_errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" %}
+        <p class="help is-danger">{{ model.custom_errors | get(key=model_field.field_name) }}</p>
+        {% endif %}
     </div>
     {%- endfor %}
     <div class="field is-grouped">
diff --git a/templates/form_elements/input.html b/templates/form_elements/input.html
index 04652b3..819b9a7 100644
--- a/templates/form_elements/input.html
+++ b/templates/form_elements/input.html
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 <input 
-    class="{{ model_field | get_html_input_class }} {% if model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name,default="" ) !="" %}is-danger{% endif %}" 
+    class="{{ model_field | get_html_input_class }} 
+        {% if 
+            model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" 
+            or 
+            model.custom_errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" 
+        %}is-danger{% endif %}"
     type="{{ model_field | get_html_input_type }}"
-    value="{{ model.values | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="") | split(pat=" _") | join(sep=" " ) | title }}" 
+    value="{{ model.values | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="") }}" 
     name="{{ model_field.field_name }}" 
     placeholder="{{ model_field.field_name }}"
     aria-label="{{ model_field.field_name }}" 
diff --git a/templates/form_elements/selectlist.html b/templates/form_elements/selectlist.html
index 2c8dff0..6cafd18 100644
--- a/templates/form_elements/selectlist.html
+++ b/templates/form_elements/selectlist.html
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-<div class="select {% if model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" %}is-danger{% endif %}">
+<div class="select 
+    {% if 
+    model.errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" 
+    or 
+    model.custom_errors | get(key=model_field.field_name, default="" ) !="" 
+    %}is-danger{% endif %}"
+    >
     <select name="{{ model_field.field_name }}">
         {% if model_field.is_option %}
         <option value=""></option>