diff --git a/wcs/fields.py b/wcs/fields.py
index 218d27a37..7695d1dd2 100644
--- a/wcs/fields.py
+++ b/wcs/fields.py
@@ -486,6 +486,12 @@ class Field:
             return None
         return data.get('%s_structured' % self.id)
 
+    def get_prefill_configuration(self):
+        if self.prefill and self.prefill.get('type') == 'none':
+            # make sure a 'none' prefill is not considered as a value
+            self.prefill = None
+        return self.prefill or {}
+
     def get_prefill_value(self, user=None, force_string=True):
         # returns a tuple with two items,
         #  1. value[str], the value that will be used to prefill
@@ -564,7 +570,7 @@ class Field:
         return (None, False)
 
     def get_prefill_attributes(self):
-        if not self.prefill:
+        if not self.get_prefill_configuration():
             return
         t = self.prefill.get('type')
 
@@ -747,8 +753,8 @@ class Field:
             return str(value)
 
     def get_prefill_parameter_view_value(self, widget):
-        value = getattr(self, 'prefill', None)
-        if not value or value.get('type') == 'none':
+        value = self.get_prefill_configuration()
+        if not value:
             return
         r = TemplateIO(html=True)
         r += htmltext('<ul>')
diff --git a/wcs/formdata.py b/wcs/formdata.py
index 109109671..90764aadb 100644
--- a/wcs/formdata.py
+++ b/wcs/formdata.py
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ class FormData(StorableObject):
             for field in get_all_fields():
                 if not hasattr(field, 'prefill'):
                     continue
-                if field.prefill and field.prefill.get('type') == 'user':
+                if field.get_prefill_configuration().get('type') == 'user':
                     block = getattr(field, 'block', None)
                     if block:
                         sub_data = self.data.get(block.id)
@@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ class FormData(StorableObject):
                         for sub_line_data in sub_data.get('data'):
                             sub_field_data = sub_line_data.get(field.id)
                             if sub_field_data:
-                                form_user_data[field.prefill['value']] = sub_field_data
+                                form_user_data[field.get_prefill_configuration()['value']] = sub_field_data
                     else:
-                        form_user_data[field.prefill['value']] = self.data.get(field.id)
+                        form_user_data[field.get_prefill_configuration()['value']] = self.data.get(field.id)
             user_label = ' '.join(
                 [form_user_data.get(x) for x in field_name_values if isinstance(form_user_data.get(x), str)]
             )
diff --git a/wcs/forms/common.py b/wcs/forms/common.py
index 8e0bf2580..6b35fbb6b 100644
--- a/wcs/forms/common.py
+++ b/wcs/forms/common.py
@@ -843,8 +843,8 @@ class FormStatusPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
                 entry = result[field.id]
             if field.key == 'comment':
                 entry['content'] = widget.content
-            elif field.prefill and field.prefill.get('type') == 'string':
-                if 'request.GET' in (field.prefill.get('value') or ''):
+            elif field.get_prefill_configuration().get('type') == 'string':
+                if 'request.GET' in (field.get_prefill_configuration().get('value') or ''):
                     # Prefilling with a value from request.GET cannot be compatible with
                     # live updates of prefill values. Skip those. (a "computed data" field
                     # should be used as replacement).
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ class FormStatusPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
                         if id_value:
                             value = id_value
                     entry['content'] = value
-            elif field.prefill and field.prefill.get('type') == 'user':
+            elif field.get_prefill_configuration().get('type') == 'user':
                 update_prefill = bool(get_request().form.get('modified_field_id') == 'user')
                 if update_prefill:
                     value = field.get_prefill_value(user=formdata.user)[0]
diff --git a/wcs/forms/root.py b/wcs/forms/root.py
index 7599cf24c..e7bccb4e1 100644
--- a/wcs/forms/root.py
+++ b/wcs/forms/root.py
@@ -415,10 +415,7 @@ class FormPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
             prefilled = False
             locked = False
 
-            if field.prefill and field.prefill.get('type') == 'none':
-                field.prefill = {}
-
-            if field.prefill:
+            if field.get_prefill_configuration():
                 prefill_user = get_request().user
                 if get_request().is_in_backoffice():
                     prefill_user = get_publisher().substitutions.get_context_variables().get('form_user')
@@ -441,7 +438,7 @@ class FormPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
                     # "commited" to data when an "add row" button is clicked
                     continue
 
-            should_prefill = bool(field.prefill)
+            should_prefill = bool(field.get_prefill_configuration())
 
             has_current_value = False
             if block:
@@ -469,8 +466,9 @@ class FormPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
                     should_prefill = False
 
             if should_prefill:
-                if get_request().is_in_backoffice() and (
-                    field.prefill and field.prefill.get('type') == 'geoloc'
+                if (
+                    get_request().is_in_backoffice()
+                    and field.get_prefill_configuration().get('type') == 'geoloc'
                 ):
                     # turn off prefilling from geolocation attributes if
                     # the form is filled from the backoffice
@@ -632,7 +630,7 @@ class FormPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
                     widget.attrs['readonly'] = 'readonly'
 
         for field, field_key, widget, dummy, dummy in self.iter_with_block_fields(form, displayed_fields):
-            if field.prefill:
+            if field.get_prefill_configuration():
                 # always set additional attributes as they will be used for
                 # "live prefill", regardless of existing data.
                 widget.prefill_attributes = field.get_prefill_attributes()
@@ -1350,7 +1348,7 @@ class FormPage(Directory, FormTemplateMixin):
         for field, field_key, widget, block, block_idx in self.iter_with_block_fields(
             form, self.formdef.fields
         ):
-            if not field.prefill:
+            if not field.get_prefill_configuration():
                 continue
             post_key = 'f%s' % field_key
             if block: