diff --git a/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/add-ethereum-chain.test.js b/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/add-ethereum-chain.test.js
index 20fbde395134..0e93bd67623e 100644
--- a/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/add-ethereum-chain.test.js
+++ b/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/add-ethereum-chain.test.js
@@ -120,6 +120,35 @@ describe('addEthereumChainHandler', () => {
       expect(mocks.setActiveNetwork).toHaveBeenCalledWith(123);
     });
 
+    it('creates a new networkConfiguration when called without "blockExplorerUrls" property', async () => {
+      const mocks = makeMocks({
+        permissionsFeatureFlagIsActive: false,
+      });
+      await addEthereumChainHandler(
+        {
+          origin: 'example.com',
+          params: [
+            {
+              chainId: CHAIN_IDS.OPTIMISM,
+              chainName: 'Optimism Mainnet',
+              rpcUrls: ['https://optimism.llamarpc.com'],
+              nativeCurrency: {
+                symbol: 'ETH',
+                decimals: 18,
+              },
+              iconUrls: ['https://optimism.icon.com'],
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+        {},
+        jest.fn(),
+        jest.fn(),
+        mocks,
+      );
+      expect(mocks.upsertNetworkConfiguration).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(mocks.setActiveNetwork).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
     describe('if a networkConfiguration for the given chainId already exists', () => {
       it('creates a new network configuration for the given chainid and switches to it if proposed networkConfiguration has a different rpcUrl from all existing networkConfigurations', async () => {
         const mocks = makeMocks({
diff --git a/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/ethereum-chain-utils.js b/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/ethereum-chain-utils.js
index 8b10cbb9cd6f..80408d0f6e03 100644
--- a/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/ethereum-chain-utils.js
+++ b/app/scripts/lib/rpc-method-middleware/handlers/ethereum-chain-utils.js
@@ -119,12 +119,11 @@ export function validateAddEthereumChainParams(params, end) {
   };
 
   const firstValidRPCUrl = rpcUrls.find((rpcUrl) => isLocalhostOrHttps(rpcUrl));
-  const firstValidBlockExplorerUrl =
-    blockExplorerUrls !== null && Array.isArray(blockExplorerUrls)
-      ? blockExplorerUrls.find((blockExplorerUrl) =>
-          isLocalhostOrHttps(blockExplorerUrl),
-        )
-      : null;
+  const firstValidBlockExplorerUrl = Array.isArray(blockExplorerUrls)
+    ? blockExplorerUrls.find((blockExplorerUrl) =>
+        isLocalhostOrHttps(blockExplorerUrl),
+      )
+    : null;
 
   if (!firstValidRPCUrl) {
     throw ethErrors.rpc.invalidParams({
@@ -132,12 +131,6 @@ export function validateAddEthereumChainParams(params, end) {
     });
   }
 
-  if (blockExplorerUrls !== null && !firstValidBlockExplorerUrl) {
-    throw ethErrors.rpc.invalidParams({
-      message: `Expected null or array with at least one valid string HTTPS URL 'blockExplorerUrl'. Received: ${blockExplorerUrls}`,
-    });
-  }
-
   if (typeof chainName !== 'string' || !chainName) {
     throw ethErrors.rpc.invalidParams({
       message: `Expected non-empty string 'chainName'. Received:\n${chainName}`,