Stop Defects with a Resolution of Duplicate from requiring a link

Create a Defect
Set required parameters
Save
Mark Defect as Closed and set Resolution to Duplicate
Save - error is generated:
"No duplicate work item specified, click here to choose one."

Setting resolution to Duplicate did not used to generate this error, thus we have plenty of older closed items in the backlog that have a Resolution of Duplicate with no Duplicate Of link. It is likely this started after an upgrade. This is causing a weird anomaly we would like to go away. When "Synchronize Attributes" is run, any Defects with a Resolution of Duplicate that do not also have a link of type Duplicate Of are automatically re-opened by the Synchronize Attributes routine! That's is pretty bad. I am going to file a defect for that. In the mean time, I wish to resolve this link requirement.

Workarounds would be:
1. For all closed Defects with Resolution of Duplicate, create a Link of type Duplicate and set it to a generic work item created for this purpose.
2. Stop RTC from requiring a link of type Duplicate Of when Resolution is set to Duplicate. I have checked the prerequisites and there is nothing requiring a link be set. This appears to be new standard behavior.

I am going to submit a request that IBM allow the admin to set this feature (or not) in the prerequisites section. Basically we want "Duplicate" to be handled the same as any other selection in the Resolution dropdown list. I suspect changing the word to "Dupe" or something other than the reserved word might work, or if not, creating a new selection called Duplicate might not trigger the same requirement, but I would prefer a simpler solution of just turning off the requirement. Before I file an enhancement request - does that already exist and I just don't know where it is?