diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/default.nix b/lib/jsonschema/default.nix
index 177fef8d5..b0bad30de 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/default.nix
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/default.nix
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ rec {
       # parse options to jsonschema properties
       properties = lib.mapAttrs (_name: option: (parseOption' (path ++ [ _name ]) option)) options';
       # TODO: figure out how to handle if prop.anyOf is used
-      isRequired = prop: !(prop ? default || prop.type or null == "object");
+      isRequired = prop: !(prop ? default || prop."$exportedModuleInfo".required or false);
       requiredProps = lib.filterAttrs (_: prop: isRequired prop) properties;
       required = lib.optionalAttrs (requiredProps != { }) { required = lib.attrNames requiredProps; };
       header' = if addHeader then header else { };
@@ -150,9 +150,9 @@ rec {
           { };
 
       # Metadata about the module that is made available to the schema via '$propagatedModuleInfo'
-      exportedModuleInfo = lib.optionalAttrs true (makeModuleInfo {
+      exportedModuleInfo = makeModuleInfo {
         inherit path;
-      });
+      };
     in
     # return jsonschema
     header'
@@ -377,7 +377,13 @@ rec {
     # return jsonschema property definition for attrs
     then
       default
-      // exposedModuleInfo
+      // (lib.recursiveUpdate exposedModuleInfo (
+        lib.optionalAttrs (!default ? default) {
+          "$exportedModuleInfo" = {
+            required = true;
+          };
+        }
+      ))
       // example
       // description
       // {
@@ -419,7 +425,19 @@ rec {
     # return jsonschema property definition for submodule
     # then (lib.attrNames (option.type.getSubOptions option.loc).opt)
     then
-      exposedModuleInfo // example // description // parseSubOptions { inherit option; }
+      (lib.recursiveUpdate exposedModuleInfo (
+        if (default ? default) then
+          default
+        else
+          {
+            "$exportedModuleInfo" = {
+              required = true;
+            };
+          }
+      ))
+      // example
+      // description
+      // parseSubOptions { inherit option; }
     # throw error if option type is not supported
     else
       notSupported option;
diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/example-data.json b/lib/jsonschema/example-data.json
index 9fb8e0cd7..74b728423 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/example-data.json
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/example-data.json
@@ -16,5 +16,10 @@
       "name": "John Doe",
       "repo": "test-backup"
     }
+  },
+  "userModules": {
+    "some-user": {
+      "foo": {}
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/example-interface.nix b/lib/jsonschema/example-interface.nix
index 9b7c1b9e8..3d1e04d57 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/example-interface.nix
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/example-interface.nix
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       default = false;
       description = "Is the user an admin?";
     };
-    # a submodule option
+    # a submodule option without default
     services = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.submodule {
         options.opt = lib.mkOption {
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@
         };
       };
     };
+    # a submodule option with default
+    programs = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.submodule {
+        options.opt = lib.mkOption {
+          type = lib.types.str;
+          default = "bar";
+          description = "Another submodule option";
+        };
+      };
+      default = { };
+    };
     # attrs of int
     userIds = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.attrsOf lib.types.int;
@@ -40,6 +51,14 @@
         albrecht = 3;
       };
     };
+    # attrs of submodule
+    userModules = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.attrsOf (
+        lib.types.submodule {
+          options.foo = lib.mkOption { };
+        }
+      );
+    };
     # list of str
     kernelModules = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.str;
diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/example-schema.json b/lib/jsonschema/example-schema.json
index 3944cca62..ecb937fc7 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/example-schema.json
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/example-schema.json
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": [] },
   "type": "object",
   "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": ["services", "userModules"],
   "properties": {
     "name": {
       "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["name"] },
@@ -46,6 +47,32 @@
       },
       "description": "Some attributes"
     },
+    "userModules": {
+      "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["userModules"] },
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": {
+        "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["userModules", "<name>"] },
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "foo": {
+            "$exportedModuleInfo": {
+              "path": ["userModules", "<name>", "foo"]
+            },
+            "type": [
+              "boolean",
+              "integer",
+              "number",
+              "string",
+              "array",
+              "object",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "required": ["foo"]
+      }
+    },
     "colour": {
       "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["colour"] },
       "default": "red",
@@ -65,6 +92,20 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "programs": {
+      "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["programs"] },
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "opt": {
+          "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["programs", "opt"] },
+          "type": "string",
+          "default": "bar",
+          "description": "Another submodule option"
+        }
+      },
+      "default": {}
+    },
     "destinations": {
       "$exportedModuleInfo": { "path": ["destinations"] },
       "additionalProperties": {
diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOption.nix b/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOption.nix
index 51f092de1..75ced777c 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOption.nix
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOption.nix
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ in
             };
           };
         };
+        default = { };
       };
     };
 
@@ -354,6 +355,7 @@ in
             };
           };
         };
+        default = { };
         required = [ "opt" ];
       };
     };
diff --git a/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOptions.nix b/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOptions.nix
index 137bf52a1..0c2ff8a93 100644
--- a/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOptions.nix
+++ b/lib/jsonschema/test_parseOptions.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,17 @@
   testParseNestedOptions =
     let
       evaled = lib.evalModules {
-        modules = [ { options.foo.bar = lib.mkOption { type = lib.types.bool; }; } ];
+        modules = [
+          {
+            options.foo.bar = lib.mkOption {
+              type = lib.types.bool;
+            };
+            options.foo.baz = lib.mkOption {
+              type = lib.types.bool;
+              default = false;
+            };
+          }
+        ];
       };
     in
     {
@@ -40,12 +50,23 @@
                 };
                 type = "boolean";
               };
+              baz = {
+                "$exportedModuleInfo" = {
+                  path = [
+                    "foo"
+                    "baz"
+                  ];
+                };
+                type = "boolean";
+                default = false;
+              };
             };
             required = [ "bar" ];
             type = "object";
           };
         };
         type = "object";
+        required = [ "foo" ];
       };
     };