diff --git a/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/InternalRecordBuilderProcessor.java b/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/InternalRecordBuilderProcessor.java
index 54aa985..84102fd 100644
--- a/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/InternalRecordBuilderProcessor.java
+++ b/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/InternalRecordBuilderProcessor.java
@@ -15,8 +15,13 @@
  */
 package io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor;
 
-import com.squareup.javapoet.*;
-import io.soabase.recordbuilder.core.RecordBuilder;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.CollectionBuilderUtils.SingleItemsMetaDataMode.EXCLUDE_WILDCARD_TYPES;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.CollectionBuilderUtils.SingleItemsMetaDataMode.STANDARD;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.CollectionBuilderUtils.SingleItemsMetaDataMode.STANDARD_FOR_SETTER;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.ElementUtils.getBuilderName;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.ElementUtils.getWithMethodName;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.RecordBuilderProcessor.generatedRecordBuilderAnnotation;
+import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.RecordBuilderProcessor.recordBuilderGeneratedAnnotation;
 
 import javax.annotation.processing.ProcessingEnvironment;
 import javax.lang.model.element.*;
@@ -29,11 +34,8 @@ import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.IntStream;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
-import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.CollectionBuilderUtils.SingleItemsMetaDataMode.*;
-import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.ElementUtils.getBuilderName;
-import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.ElementUtils.getWithMethodName;
-import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.RecordBuilderProcessor.generatedRecordBuilderAnnotation;
-import static io.soabase.recordbuilder.processor.RecordBuilderProcessor.recordBuilderGeneratedAnnotation;
+import com.squareup.javapoet.*;
+import io.soabase.recordbuilder.core.RecordBuilder;
 
 class InternalRecordBuilderProcessor {
     private final RecordBuilder.Options metaData;
@@ -993,12 +995,21 @@ class InternalRecordBuilderProcessor {
 
         var parameterSpecBuilder = ParameterSpec.builder(type.valueType(), component.name());
         methodSpec.addJavadoc("Set a new value for the {@code $L} record component in the builder\n", component.name())
-                .addStatement("this.$L = $T.of($L)", component.name(), type.typeName(), component.name());
+                .addStatement(getOptionalStatement(type), component.name(), type.typeName(), component.name());
         addConstructorAnnotations(component, parameterSpecBuilder);
         methodSpec.addStatement("return this").addParameter(parameterSpecBuilder.build());
         builder.addMethod(methodSpec.build());
     }
 
+    private String getOptionalStatement(OptionalType type) {
+
+        if(type.isOptional()) {
+            return "this.$L = $T.ofNullable($L)";
+        }
+
+        return "this.$L = $T.of($L)";
+    }
+
     private List<TypeVariableName> typeVariablesWithReturn() {
         var variables = new ArrayList<TypeVariableName>();
         variables.add(rType);
diff --git a/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/OptionalType.java b/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/OptionalType.java
index 30ff138..c9917da 100644
--- a/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/OptionalType.java
+++ b/record-builder-processor/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/processor/OptionalType.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.OptionalDouble;
 import java.util.OptionalInt;
 import java.util.OptionalLong;
+
 import com.squareup.javapoet.ParameterizedTypeName;
 import com.squareup.javapoet.TypeName;
 
@@ -58,4 +59,8 @@ public record OptionalType(TypeName typeName, TypeName valueType) {
         }
         return Optional.empty();
     }
+
+    public boolean isOptional() {
+        return typeName.equals(optionalType);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/record-builder-test/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/RecordWithOptional.java b/record-builder-test/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/RecordWithOptional.java
index 4191867..693bae5 100644
--- a/record-builder-test/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/RecordWithOptional.java
+++ b/record-builder-test/src/main/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/RecordWithOptional.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package io.soabase.recordbuilder.test;
 
+import javax.validation.constraints.NotNull;
+
 import io.soabase.recordbuilder.core.RecordBuilder;
 
 import java.util.Optional;
@@ -24,4 +26,4 @@ import java.util.OptionalLong;
 
 @RecordBuilder.Options(emptyDefaultForOptional = true, addConcreteSettersForOptional = true)
 @RecordBuilder
-public record RecordWithOptional(Optional<String> value, Optional raw, OptionalInt i, OptionalLong l, OptionalDouble d) {}
+public record RecordWithOptional(@NotNull Optional<String> value, Optional raw, OptionalInt i, OptionalLong l, OptionalDouble d) {}
diff --git a/record-builder-test/src/test/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/TestOptional.java b/record-builder-test/src/test/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/TestOptional.java
index 7e2bc37..e3c2eea 100644
--- a/record-builder-test/src/test/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/TestOptional.java
+++ b/record-builder-test/src/test/java/io/soabase/recordbuilder/test/TestOptional.java
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@
  */
 package io.soabase.recordbuilder.test;
 
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions;
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
-
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.OptionalDouble;
 import java.util.OptionalInt;
 import java.util.OptionalLong;
 
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
 class TestOptional {
     @Test
     void testDefaultEmpty() {
@@ -65,4 +65,19 @@ class TestOptional {
         Assertions.assertEquals(OptionalLong.of(424242L), record.l());
         Assertions.assertEquals(OptionalDouble.of(42.42), record.d());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldAcceptNullForOptionalRawSetter() {
+        // given
+        String value = null;
+
+        // when
+        var record = RecordWithOptionalBuilder.builder()
+                                              .value(value)
+                                              .build();
+
+        // then
+        Assertions.assertEquals(Optional.empty(), record.value());
+    }
+
 }