diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/abstract_field.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/abstract_field.js
index e0b71f088ad..9fb677d42a0 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/abstract_field.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/abstract_field.js
@@ -258,6 +258,16 @@ var AbstractField = Widget.extend({
     getFocusableElement: function () {
         return $();
     },
+    /**
+     * Returns whether or not the field is empty and can thus be hidden. This
+     * method is typically called when the widget is in readonly, to hide it
+     * (and its label) if it is empty.
+     *
+     * @returns {boolean}
+     */
+    isEmpty: function () {
+        return !this.isSet();
+    },
     /**
      * Returns true iff the widget has a visible element that can take the focus
      *
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/relational_fields.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/relational_fields.js
index 500ebf1f609..0bf264aca1d 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/relational_fields.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/fields/relational_fields.js
@@ -2721,6 +2721,21 @@ var FieldStatus = AbstractField.extend({
         this.isClickable = !!this.attrs.clickable || !!this.nodeOptions.clickable;
     },
 
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Public
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * Returns false to force the statusbar to be always visible (even the field
+     * it not set).
+     *
+     * @override
+     * @returns {boolean} always false
+     */
+    isEmpty: function () {
+        return false;
+    },
+
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Private
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
index 8af8540dd57..07edeae343a 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ var BasicRenderer = AbstractRenderer.extend({
                     element.$el.toggleClass('o_field_empty', !!(
                         record.data.id &&
                         (modifiers.readonly || mode === 'readonly') &&
-                        !element.widget.isSet()
+                        element.widget.isEmpty()
                     ));
                 },
                 keepBaseMode: !!options.keepBaseMode,
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
index 41f7a86afc4..11d67bd3752 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
@@ -815,23 +815,68 @@ QUnit.module('relational_fields', {
         assert.expect(2);
 
         this.data.product.records = [];
-        var form = await createView({
+        const form = await createView({
             View: FormView,
             model: 'partner',
             data: this.data,
-            arch:'<form string="Partners">' +
-                    '<header><field name="product_id" widget="statusbar"/></header>' +
-                '</form>',
+            arch: `<form string="Partners">
+                    <header><field name="product_id" widget="statusbar"/></header>
+                </form>`,
             res_id: 1,
             config: {device: {isMobile: false}},
         });
 
-        assert.hasClass(form.$('.o_statusbar_status'), 'o_field_empty');
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(form.$('.o_statusbar_status'), 'o_field_empty');
         assert.strictEqual(form.$('.o_statusbar_status').children().length, 0,
             'statusbar widget should be empty');
         form.destroy();
     });
 
+    QUnit.test('statusbar with required modifier', async function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(2);
+
+        const form = await createView({
+            View: FormView,
+            model: 'partner',
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: `<form string="Partners">
+                    <header><field name="product_id" widget="statusbar" required="1"/></header>
+                </form>`,
+            config: {device: {isMobile: false}},
+        });
+        testUtils.intercept(form, 'call_service', function (ev) {
+            assert.strictEqual(ev.data.service, 'notification',
+                "should display an 'invalid fields' notification");
+        }, true);
+
+        testUtils.form.clickSave(form);
+
+        assert.containsOnce(form, '.o_form_editable', 'view should still be in edit');
+
+        form.destroy();
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('statusbar with no value in readonly', async function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(2);
+
+        const form = await createView({
+            View: FormView,
+            model: 'partner',
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: `
+                <form>
+                    <header><field name="product_id" widget="statusbar"/></header>
+                </form>`,
+            res_id: 1,
+            config: {device: {isMobile: false}},
+        });
+
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(form.$('.o_statusbar_status'), 'o_field_empty');
+        assert.containsN(form, '.o_statusbar_status button:visible', 2);
+
+        form.destroy();
+    });
+
     QUnit.test('statusbar with domain but no value (create mode)', async function (assert) {
         assert.expect(1);