diff --git a/bindparam.go b/bindparam.go
index e3dc053..5abe5c7 100644
--- a/bindparam.go
+++ b/bindparam.go
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ func BindQueryParameterWithOptions(style string, explode bool, required bool, pa
 		if !explode {
 			return errors.New("deepObjects must be exploded")
 		}
-		return UnmarshalDeepObject(dest, paramName, queryParams)
+		return unmarshalDeepObject(dest, paramName, queryParams, required)
 	case "spaceDelimited", "pipeDelimited":
 		return fmt.Errorf("query arguments of style '%s' aren't yet supported", style)
 	default:
diff --git a/bindparam_test.go b/bindparam_test.go
index ea51058..ef6b76e 100644
--- a/bindparam_test.go
+++ b/bindparam_test.go
@@ -428,6 +428,76 @@ func TestBindQueryParameter(t *testing.T) {
 		err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, false, paramName, queryParams, &actual)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedDeepObject, actual)
+
+		// If we require values, we require errors when they're not present.
+		err = BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, true, "notfound", queryParams, &actual)
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("deepObject/required-and-optional", func(t *testing.T) {
+		type SimpleObj struct {
+			Name string `json:"name"`
+			Age  int    `json:"age"`
+		}
+
+		queryWithParam := url.Values{
+			"obj[name]": {"Alice"},
+			"obj[age]":  {"30"},
+		}
+		emptyQuery := url.Values{}
+		unrelatedQuery := url.Values{
+			"other[name]": {"Bob"},
+		}
+
+		t.Run("optional/present binds successfully", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, false, "obj", queryWithParam, &dest)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, SimpleObj{Name: "Alice", Age: 30}, dest)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("optional/missing returns no error and does not modify dest", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, false, "obj", emptyQuery, &dest)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, SimpleObj{}, dest, "destination should remain zero-valued")
+		})
+
+		t.Run("optional/missing with unrelated params returns no error", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, false, "obj", unrelatedQuery, &dest)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, SimpleObj{}, dest, "destination should remain zero-valued")
+		})
+
+		t.Run("optional/missing preserves pre-populated dest", func(t *testing.T) {
+			dest := SimpleObj{Name: "PreExisting", Age: 99}
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, false, "obj", emptyQuery, &dest)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, SimpleObj{Name: "PreExisting", Age: 99}, dest,
+				"destination should not be zeroed out when optional param is absent")
+		})
+
+		t.Run("required/present binds successfully", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, true, "obj", queryWithParam, &dest)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, SimpleObj{Name: "Alice", Age: 30}, dest)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("required/missing returns error", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, true, "obj", emptyQuery, &dest)
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "required")
+		})
+
+		t.Run("required/missing with unrelated params returns error", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var dest SimpleObj
+			err := BindQueryParameter("deepObject", true, true, "obj", unrelatedQuery, &dest)
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "required")
+		})
 	})
 
 	t.Run("form", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/deepobject.go b/deepobject.go
index d1b4830..5fb4ae0 100644
--- a/deepobject.go
+++ b/deepobject.go
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ func makeFieldOrValue(paths [][]string, values []string) fieldOrValue {
 }
 
 func UnmarshalDeepObject(dst interface{}, paramName string, params url.Values) error {
+	return unmarshalDeepObject(dst, paramName, params, false)
+}
+
+func unmarshalDeepObject(dst interface{}, paramName string, params url.Values, required bool) error {
 	// Params are all the query args, so we need those that look like
 	// "paramName["...
 	var fieldNames []string
@@ -149,6 +153,14 @@ func UnmarshalDeepObject(dst interface{}, paramName string, params url.Values) e
 		}
 	}
 
+	if len(fieldNames) == 0 {
+		if required {
+			return fmt.Errorf("query parameter '%s' is required", paramName)
+		} else {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Now, for each field, reconstruct its subscript path and value
 	paths := make([][]string, len(fieldNames))
 	for i, path := range fieldNames {