diff --git a/.changeset/2097-lead-owner-not-required.md b/.changeset/2097-lead-owner-not-required.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..594ce653
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/2097-lead-owner-not-required.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'hotcrm': patch
+---
+
+A sales rep can create a lead without first picking themselves as its owner. The **New Lead** form marked **Lead Owner** as required, so clicking **Create** with the field left blank stopped at *"Lead Owner is required"* and nothing was saved. The form no longer requires it. A lead created with the field left blank is owned by the person who created it, as on the **Opportunity**, **Account** and **Contact** New forms. **Lead Owner** stays on the form.
diff --git a/src/sales/views/lead.view.ts b/src/sales/views/lead.view.ts
index 2493440a..989120df 100644
--- a/src/sales/views/lead.view.ts
+++ b/src/sales/views/lead.view.ts
@@ -287,10 +287,12 @@ export const LeadViews = defineView({
           },
           'lead_source',
           'industry',
-          {
-            field: 'owner_id',
-            required: true,
-          },
+          // Offered, ⛔ not `required` (#2097): an insert that leaves it empty is
+          // stamped to the creator by the platform (see `lead.hook.ts`), so a
+          // rep's new lead is theirs without a pick. `required` blocked that
+          // save client-side. A pick of another owner on create is currently
+          // dropped by the console (objectui#12359).
+          'owner_id',
           // `disqualification_reason` is enforced by the
           // `disqualification_reason_required` validation on crm_lead, so every
           // form that lets a user pick "Unqualified" must also offer the reason
diff --git a/test/ownership-model.test.ts b/test/ownership-model.test.ts
index 03bae963..abf24c91 100644
--- a/test/ownership-model.test.ts
+++ b/test/ownership-model.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { InMemoryDriver } from '@objectstack/driver-memory';
 import type { VerifyStack } from '@objectstack/verify';
 import stack from './helpers/composed-stack';
 import { hotcrmStack, signUpPerson, type Person } from './helpers/verify-stack';
+import { LeadViews } from '../src/sales/views/lead.view';
 
 /**
  * ═══ HotCRM has ONE owner, and it is the platform's (#548) ════════════════
@@ -162,6 +163,21 @@ describe('one ownership column, and it is `owner_id`', () => {
     );
     expect(withDefault, 'owner_id must have no schema default').toEqual([]);
   });
+
+  it('the New Lead form leaves `owner_id` to that stamp — offered, not required (#2097)', () => {
+    // `LeadViews.form` IS the create dialog (see `case-create-form-narrowing`),
+    // and a `required` entry there is a client-side submit check. Measured on
+    // 18.0.0-next.0: a rep's Leads → New stopped at "Lead Owner is required"
+    // with nothing POSTed, so the stamp never saw the insert. The server half —
+    // a rep's ownerless insert lands owned by the rep — is pinned end to end by
+    // `stands down when the middleware already stamped an owner` below.
+    const entries: unknown[] = ((LeadViews as AnyRec).form?.sections ?? []).flatMap(
+      (s: AnyRec) => s.fields ?? [],
+    );
+    const owner = entries.find((f) => (typeof f === 'string' ? f : (f as AnyRec)?.field) === 'owner_id');
+    expect(owner, 'owner_id left the New Lead form — this pin would judge nothing').toBeDefined();
+    expect((owner as AnyRec)?.required === true, 'the New Lead form demands an owner again').toBe(false);
+  });
 });
 
 // ──────────────────────────────────── which writers the gate can see ──