diff --git a/common/src/api/external/mod.rs b/common/src/api/external/mod.rs
index 60325218f1c..a7eef17b2fb 100644
--- a/common/src/api/external/mod.rs
+++ b/common/src/api/external/mod.rs
@@ -1789,6 +1789,7 @@ pub struct VpcFirewallRuleUpdate {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, JsonSchema)]
 pub struct VpcFirewallRuleUpdateParams {
     #[schemars(length(max = 1024))]
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub rules: Vec<VpcFirewallRuleUpdate>,
 }
 
diff --git a/openapi/nexus.json b/openapi/nexus.json
index 8066dc14d95..8ba6882ed3b 100644
--- a/openapi/nexus.json
+++ b/openapi/nexus.json
@@ -25265,16 +25265,14 @@
         "type": "object",
         "properties": {
           "rules": {
+            "default": [],
             "type": "array",
             "items": {
               "$ref": "#/components/schemas/VpcFirewallRuleUpdate"
             },
             "maxItems": 1024
           }
-        },
-        "required": [
-          "rules"
-        ]
+        }
       },
       "VpcFirewallRules": {
         "description": "Collection of a Vpc's firewall rules",