diff --git a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/traits/ExamplesTrait.java b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/traits/ExamplesTrait.java
index f53510fe79e..d153bb3783f 100644
--- a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/traits/ExamplesTrait.java
+++ b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/traits/ExamplesTrait.java
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ public Optional<ErrorExample> getError() {
         /**
          * @return Gets the list of lowered input validation severities.
          */
-        public Optional<List<NodeValidationVisitor.Feature>> getLowerInputValidationSeverity() {
-            return Optional.ofNullable(lowerInputValidationSeverity);
+        public List<NodeValidationVisitor.Feature> getLowerInputValidationSeverity() {
+            return lowerInputValidationSeverity;
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -179,7 +179,11 @@ public Node toNode() {
             ObjectNode.Builder builder = Node.objectNodeBuilder()
                     .withMember("title", Node.from(title))
                     .withOptionalMember("documentation", getDocumentation().map(Node::from))
-                    .withOptionalMember("error", getError().map(ErrorExample::toNode));
+                    .withOptionalMember("error", getError().map(ErrorExample::toNode))
+                    .withMember("lowerInputValidationSeverity", ArrayNode.fromNodes(lowerInputValidationSeverity
+                                    .stream()
+                                    .map(NodeValidationVisitor.Feature::toNode)
+                                    .collect(Collectors.toList())));
 
             if (!input.isEmpty()) {
                 builder.withMember("input", input);
@@ -187,12 +191,6 @@ public Node toNode() {
             if (this.getOutput().isPresent()) {
                 builder.withMember("output", output);
             }
-            if (this.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().isPresent()) {
-                builder.withMember("lowerInputValidationSeverity", ArrayNode.fromNodes(lowerInputValidationSeverity
-                        .stream()
-                        .map(NodeValidationVisitor.Feature::toNode)
-                        .collect(Collectors.toList())));
-            }
 
             return builder.build();
         }
diff --git a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ExamplesTraitValidator.java b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ExamplesTraitValidator.java
index 3f70e414dba..97959e5cdd6 100644
--- a/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ExamplesTraitValidator.java
+++ b/smithy-model/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/model/validation/validators/ExamplesTraitValidator.java
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ private List<ValidationEvent> validateExamples(Model model, OperationShape shape
 
             model.getShape(shape.getInputShape()).ifPresent(input -> {
                 NodeValidationVisitor validator;
-                if (example.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().isPresent()
-                        && !example.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().get().isEmpty()) {
+                if (!example.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().isEmpty()) {
                     if (!isErrorDefined) {
                         events.add(error(shape, trait, String.format(
                             "Example: `%s` has lowerInputValidationSeverity defined, so error must also be defined.",
@@ -127,9 +126,9 @@ private NodeValidationVisitor createVisitor(
                 .startingContext("Example " + name + " of `" + example.getTitle() + "`")
                 .eventId(getName());
         if (enableFeatures) {
-            example.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().ifPresent(features -> features.stream()
+            example.getLowerInputValidationSeverity().stream()
                     .filter(ALLOWED_FEATURES::contains)
-                    .forEach(builder::addFeature));
+                    .forEach(builder::addFeature);
         }
         return builder.build();
     }