diff --git a/util/templates/template.go b/util/templates/template.go
index 8a282e1288..6c43ca441e 100644
--- a/util/templates/template.go
+++ b/util/templates/template.go
@@ -366,8 +366,7 @@ func (t *Template) RenderResult(renderMode int, other map[string]any) ([]byte, m
 				}
 
 				// validate required fields from yaml
-				if s == "" && p.IsRequired() && !p.IsDeprecated() && (renderMode == RenderModeUnitTest ||
-					renderMode == RenderModeInstance && !testing.Testing()) {
+				if s == "" && p.IsRequired() && (renderMode == RenderModeUnitTest || renderMode == RenderModeInstance && !testing.Testing()) {
 					// validate required per usage
 					if len(p.Usages) == 0 || slices.Contains(p.Usages, usage) {
 						return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("missing required `%s`", p.Name)
diff --git a/util/templates/types.go b/util/templates/types.go
index 50e26cbc72..5e55b4acf5 100644
--- a/util/templates/types.go
+++ b/util/templates/types.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func (t *TextLanguage) Update(new TextLanguage, always bool) {
 }
 
 // MarshalJSON implements the json.Marshaler interface
-func (t *TextLanguage) MarshalJSON() (out []byte, err error) {
+func (t TextLanguage) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	mu.Lock()
 	s := t.String(encoderLanguage)
 	mu.Unlock()
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ func (p *Param) OverwriteProperties(withParam Param) {
 }
 
 func (p *Param) IsAdvanced() bool {
-	return p.Advanced
+	return p.Advanced && !p.Required
 }
 
 func (p *Param) IsMasked() bool {
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ func (p *Param) IsPrivate() bool {
 }
 
 func (p *Param) IsRequired() bool {
-	return p.Required
+	return p.Required && !p.Deprecated
 }
 
 func (p *Param) IsDeprecated() bool {
@@ -264,6 +264,16 @@ func (p *Param) yamlQuote(value string) string {
 	return yamlQuote(value)
 }
 
+var _ json.Marshaler = (*Param)(nil)
+
+func (p Param) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	type param Param
+	pp := (param)(p)
+	pp.Required = p.IsRequired()
+	pp.Advanced = p.IsAdvanced()
+	return json.Marshal(pp)
+}
+
 // Product contains naming information about a product a template supports
 type Product struct {
 	Brand       string       // product brand
diff --git a/util/templates/types_test.go b/util/templates/types_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64afa69f02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/templates/types_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package templates
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestParamLogic(t *testing.T) {
+	{
+		p := Param{
+			Advanced: true, // omitempty
+			Required: true,
+		}
+		require.False(t, p.IsAdvanced(), "can't be advanced when required")
+
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"","Help":"","Required":true,"Type":"String"}`, string(b), "Marshal p advanced/required")
+		}
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(&p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"","Help":"","Required":true,"Type":"String"}`, string(b), "Marshal *p advanced/required")
+		}
+	}
+
+	{
+		p := Param{
+			Deprecated: true,
+			Required:   true, // omitempty
+		}
+		require.False(t, p.IsRequired(), "can't be required when deprecated")
+
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"","Help":"","Deprecated":true,"Type":"String"}`, string(b), "Marshal p deprecated/required")
+		}
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(&p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"","Help":"","Deprecated":true,"Type":"String"}`, string(b), "Marshal *p deprecated/required")
+		}
+	}
+
+	b, err := json.Marshal(Param{
+		Deprecated: true,
+		Advanced:   true, // omitempty
+		Required:   true, // omitempty
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"","Help":"","Deprecated":true,"Type":"String"}`, string(b))
+}
+
+func TestParamMarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	{
+		p := Param{
+			Description: TextLanguage{Generic: "foo"},
+		}
+
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"foo","Help":"","Type":"String"}`, string(b))
+		}
+
+		{
+			b, err := json.Marshal(&p)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, `{"Name":"","Description":"foo","Help":"","Type":"String"}`, string(b))
+		}
+	}
+}