diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/compute/vmware_nodes.py b/gns3server/schemas/compute/vmware_nodes.py
index ee670a2bc..f838419a3 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/compute/vmware_nodes.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/compute/vmware_nodes.py
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ class VMwareBase(BaseModel):
     Common VMware node properties.
     """
 
-    name: str
-    vmx_path: str = Field(..., description="Path to the vmx file")
-    linked_clone: bool = Field(..., description="Whether the VM is a linked clone or not")
+    name: Optional[str] = None
+    vmx_path: Optional[str] = None
+    linked_clone: Optional[bool] = None
     node_id: Optional[UUID] = None
     usage: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="How to use the node")
     console: Optional[int] = Field(None, gt=0, le=65535, description="Console TCP port")
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ class VMwareCreate(VMwareBase):
     Properties to create a VMware node.
     """
 
-    pass
+    name: str
+    vmx_path: str = Field(..., description="Path to the vmx file")
+    linked_clone: bool = Field(..., description="Whether the VM is a linked clone or not")
 
 
 class VMwareUpdate(VMwareBase):
@@ -91,12 +93,13 @@ class VMwareUpdate(VMwareBase):
     Properties to update a VMware node.
     """
 
-    name: Optional[str] = None
-    vmx_path: Optional[str] = None
-    linked_clone: Optional[bool] = None
+    pass
 
 
 class VMware(VMwareBase):
+    name: str
+    vmx_path: str = Field(..., description="Path to the vmx file")
+    linked_clone: bool = Field(..., description="Whether the VM is a linked clone or not")
     project_id: UUID = Field(..., description="Project ID")
     node_directory: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Path to the node working directory (read only)")
     status: NodeStatus = Field(..., description="Container status (read only)")
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/compute/vpcs_nodes.py b/gns3server/schemas/compute/vpcs_nodes.py
index 30cd40960..fda0634c4 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/compute/vpcs_nodes.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/compute/vpcs_nodes.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class VPCSBase(BaseModel):
     Common VPCS node properties.
     """
 
-    name: str
+    name: Optional[str] = None
     node_id: Optional[UUID] = None
     usage: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="How to use the node")
     console: Optional[int] = Field(None, gt=0, le=65535, description="Console TCP port")
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class VPCSCreate(VPCSBase):
     Properties to create a VPCS node.
     """
 
-    pass
+    name: str
 
 
 class VPCSUpdate(VPCSBase):
@@ -58,10 +58,11 @@ class VPCSUpdate(VPCSBase):
     Properties to update a VPCS node.
     """
 
-    name: Optional[str] = None
+    pass
 
 
 class VPCS(VPCSBase):
+    name: str
     project_id: UUID = Field(..., description="Project ID")
     node_directory: str = Field(..., description="Path to the node working directory (read only)")
     status: NodeStatus = Field(..., description="Container status (read only)")
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/appliances.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/appliances.py
index a4aecaa94..3660067b8 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/appliances.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/appliances.py
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ Appliance = ApplianceUnion
 # Create a validator wrapper for convenience
 from pydantic import TypeAdapter
 
-_appliance_validator = TypeAdapter(ApplianceUnion)
+_appliance_validator: TypeAdapter[Union[ApplianceV1_6, ApplianceV8]] = TypeAdapter(ApplianceUnion)
 
 
 class ApplianceModel:
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/nodes.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/nodes.py
index 43d8ca5b4..9faf260d3 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/nodes.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/nodes.py
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ class NodeBase(BaseModel):
     Node data.
     """
 
-    compute_id: Union[UUID, str]
-    name: str
-    node_type: NodeType
+    compute_id: Optional[Union[UUID, str]] = None
+    name: Optional[str] = None
+    node_type: Optional[NodeType] = None
 
     node_id: Optional[UUID] = None
 
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ class NodeBase(BaseModel):
 
 
 class NodeCreate(NodeBase):
+    compute_id: Union[UUID, str]
+    name: str
+    node_type: NodeType
     node_id: UUID = Field(default_factory=uuid4)
 
 
@@ -170,12 +173,13 @@ class NodeUpdate(NodeBase):
     Data to update a node.
     """
 
-    compute_id: Optional[Union[UUID, str]] = None
-    name: Optional[str] = None
-    node_type: Optional[NodeType] = None
+    pass
 
 
 class Node(NodeBase):
+    compute_id: Union[UUID, str]
+    name: str
+    node_type: NodeType
     template_id: Optional[UUID] = Field(
         None, description="Template UUID from which the node has been created. Read only"
     )
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/projects.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/projects.py
index ddfbde02e..e1210f99f 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/projects.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/projects.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class ProjectBase(BaseModel):
     Common properties for projects.
     """
 
-    name: str
+    name: Optional[str] = None
     project_id: Optional[UUID] = None
     path: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Project directory")
     auto_close: Optional[bool] = Field(None, description="Close project when last client leaves")
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class ProjectCreate(ProjectBase):
     Properties for project creation.
     """
 
-    pass
+    name: str
 
 
 class ProjectDuplicate(ProjectBase):
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class ProjectDuplicate(ProjectBase):
     Properties for project duplication.
     """
 
+    name: str
     reset_mac_addresses: Optional[bool] = Field(False, description="Reset MAC addresses for this project")
 
 
@@ -85,12 +86,11 @@ class ProjectUpdate(ProjectBase):
     Properties for project update.
     """
 
-    name: Optional[str] = None
+    pass
 
 
 class Project(ProjectBase):
     project_id: UUID
-    name: Optional[str] = None
     status: Optional[ProjectStatus] = None
     filename: Optional[str] = None
     created_by: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Username of the user who created the project")
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/settings.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/settings.py
index d64d029e1..9925c403c 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/settings.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/settings.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ says, so exposing or writing it via the API would be useless at best and
 a secret leak at worst.
 """
 
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List, Optional
 
 from pydantic import ConfigDict, BaseModel, Field
@@ -49,9 +50,11 @@ SECRET_MASK = "**********"
 class ServerSettingsResponse(ServerSettings):
     # plain strings instead of FilePath/DirectoryPath: paths are validated when
     # the settings are loaded or updated, not when echoed back to the client
-    secrets_dir: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Directory where secrets are stored (e.g. the JWT secret key)")
-    certfile: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="SSL certificate file, requires enable_ssl")
-    certkey: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="SSL key file, requires enable_ssl")
+    secrets_dir: Optional[Path] = Field(
+        None, description="Directory where secrets are stored (e.g. the JWT secret key)"
+    )
+    certfile: Optional[Path] = Field(None, description="SSL certificate file, requires enable_ssl")
+    certkey: Optional[Path] = Field(None, description="SSL key file, requires enable_ssl")
     # Optional overrides: typed as plain "str = None" in the config schema,
     # which fails re-validation when the value actually is None
     resources_path: Optional[str] = Field(
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/templates/docker_templates.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/templates/docker_templates.py
index 1c7a320e3..4123630e8 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/templates/docker_templates.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/templates/docker_templates.py
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ from pydantic import Field
 from typing import Optional, List
 
 
-class DockerTemplate(TemplateBase):
+class DockerTemplateBase(TemplateBase):
     category: Optional[Category] = Category.guest
     default_name_format: Optional[str] = "{name}-{0}"
     symbol: Optional[str] = "docker_guest"
-    image: str = Field(..., description="Docker image name")
+    image: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Docker image name")
     adapters: Optional[int] = Field(1, ge=0, le=100, description="Number of adapters")
     mac_address: Optional[str] = Field(
         "", description="Base MAC address", pattern="^([0-9a-fA-F]{2}[:]){5}([0-9a-fA-F]{2})$|^$"
@@ -58,5 +58,9 @@ class DockerTemplate(TemplateBase):
     custom_adapters: Optional[List[CustomAdapter]] = Field(default_factory=list, description="Custom adapters")
 
 
-class DockerTemplateUpdate(DockerTemplate):
-    image: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Docker image name")
+class DockerTemplate(DockerTemplateBase):
+    image: str = Field(..., description="Docker image name")
+
+
+class DockerTemplateUpdate(DockerTemplateBase):
+    pass
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ac204cfd0..9aa5fe242 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -312,14 +312,7 @@ module = [
   "gns3server.db.repositories.templates",  # 6
   "gns3server.db.repositories.users",  # 12
   "gns3server.db.tasks",  # 12
-  "gns3server.schemas.compute.vmware_nodes",  # 3
-  "gns3server.schemas.compute.vpcs_nodes",  # 1
-  "gns3server.schemas.controller.appliances",  # 1
   "gns3server.schemas.controller.computes",  # 6
-  "gns3server.schemas.controller.nodes",  # 3
-  "gns3server.schemas.controller.projects",  # 2
-  "gns3server.schemas.controller.settings",  # 3
-  "gns3server.schemas.controller.templates.docker_templates",  # 1
   "gns3server.schemas.controller.templates.iou_templates",  # 1
   "gns3server.schemas.controller.templates.virtualbox_templates",  # 1
   "gns3server.schemas.controller.templates.vmware_templates",  # 1