diff --git a/deploy/crds/crd-certificaterequests.yaml b/deploy/crds/crd-certificaterequests.yaml
index 078e58f4e..96aef8675 100644
--- a/deploy/crds/crd-certificaterequests.yaml
+++ b/deploy/crds/crd-certificaterequests.yaml
@@ -403,6 +403,8 @@ spec:
           is a 'one-shot' resource, meaning it represents a single point in time request
           for a certificate and cannot be re-used."
         type: object
+        required:
+        - spec
         properties:
           apiVersion:
             description: 'APIVersion defines the versioned schema of this representation
diff --git a/deploy/crds/crd-certificates.yaml b/deploy/crds/crd-certificates.yaml
index 1c3e5f805..0fb07aae7 100644
--- a/deploy/crds/crd-certificates.yaml
+++ b/deploy/crds/crd-certificates.yaml
@@ -833,6 +833,8 @@ spec:
           named in `spec.secretName`. \n The stored certificate will be renewed before
           it expires (as configured by `spec.renewBefore`)."
         type: object
+        required:
+        - spec
         properties:
           apiVersion:
             description: 'APIVersion defines the versioned schema of this representation
diff --git a/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_challenge.go b/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_challenge.go
index 6e771119e..96c01f8d7 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_challenge.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_challenge.go
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ type Challenge struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta   `json:",inline"`
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata"`
 
-	Spec   ChallengeSpec   `json:"spec,omitempty"`
-	Status ChallengeStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	Spec   ChallengeSpec   `json:"spec"`
+	// +optional
+	Status ChallengeStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
diff --git a/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_order.go b/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_order.go
index d0153f5eb..d905c8ad8 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_order.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/acme/v1beta1/types_order.go
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ type Order struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta   `json:",inline"`
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata"`
 
-	Spec   OrderSpec   `json:"spec,omitempty"`
-	Status OrderStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	Spec   OrderSpec   `json:"spec"`
+	// +optional
+	Status OrderStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
diff --git a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificate.go b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificate.go
index 89734e3eb..601a4aecd 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificate.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificate.go
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ type Certificate struct {
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
 	// Desired state of the Certificate resource.
-	Spec CertificateSpec `json:"spec,omitempty"`
+	Spec CertificateSpec `json:"spec"`
 
 	// Status of the Certificate. This is set and managed automatically.
-	Status CertificateStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Status CertificateStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
diff --git a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificaterequest.go b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificaterequest.go
index 0fc799c92..08f10f724 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificaterequest.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_certificaterequest.go
@@ -53,10 +53,11 @@ type CertificateRequest struct {
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
 	// Desired state of the CertificateRequest resource.
-	Spec CertificateRequestSpec `json:"spec,omitempty"`
+	Spec CertificateRequestSpec `json:"spec"`
 
 	// Status of the CertificateRequest. This is set and managed automatically.
-	Status CertificateRequestStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Status CertificateRequestStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
diff --git a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_issuer.go b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_issuer.go
index 4b3c7bc25..99234efa7 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_issuer.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1beta1/types_issuer.go
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ type ClusterIssuer struct {
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
 	// Desired state of the ClusterIssuer resource.
-	Spec IssuerSpec `json:"spec,omitempty"`
+	Spec IssuerSpec `json:"spec"`
 
 	// Status of the ClusterIssuer. This is set and managed automatically.
-	Status IssuerStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Status IssuerStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
@@ -67,10 +68,11 @@ type Issuer struct {
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
 	// Desired state of the Issuer resource.
-	Spec IssuerSpec `json:"spec,omitempty"`
+	Spec IssuerSpec `json:"spec"`
 
 	// Status of the Issuer. This is set and managed automatically.
-	Status IssuerStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Status IssuerStatus `json:"status"`
 }
 
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object