diff --git a/src/components/UIShell/Link.js b/src/components/UIShell/Link.js
index e862ca7601f6..38feff873ccb 100644
--- a/src/components/UIShell/Link.js
+++ b/src/components/UIShell/Link.js
@@ -24,11 +24,7 @@ const LinkPropTypes = {
    * The base element to use to build the link. Defaults to `a`, can also accept
    * alternative tag names or custom components like `Link` from `react-router`.
    */
-  element: PropTypes.oneOfType([
-    PropTypes.string,
-    PropTypes.node,
-    PropTypes.func,
-  ]),
+  element: PropTypes.elementType,
 };
 
 Link.displayName = 'Link';
diff --git a/src/components/UIShell/SideNavMenu.js b/src/components/UIShell/SideNavMenu.js
index 60ec28a81e3d..306175e9f5bf 100644
--- a/src/components/UIShell/SideNavMenu.js
+++ b/src/components/UIShell/SideNavMenu.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export class SideNavMenu extends React.Component {
     /**
      * Pass in a custom icon to render next to the `SideNavMenu` title
      */
-    icon: PropTypes.node.isRequired,
+    icon: PropTypes.node,
 
     /**
      * Specify whether the `SideNavMenu` is "active". `SideNavMenu` should be
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export class SideNavMenu extends React.Component {
           onClick={this.handleToggleExpand}
           ref={buttonRef}
           type="button">
-          <SideNavIcon>{icon}</SideNavIcon>
+          {icon && <SideNavIcon>{icon}</SideNavIcon>}
           <span className={`${prefix}--side-nav__submenu-title`}>{title}</span>
           <SideNavIcon className={`${prefix}--side-nav__submenu-chevron`} small>
             <ChevronDown20 />