diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/HyphenGroup/apis/example/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/HyphenGroup/apis/example/v1/types.go
index 3c97c319ca1..b8c7f823301 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/HyphenGroup/apis/example/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/HyphenGroup/apis/example/v1/types.go
@@ -43,16 +43,16 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
 
 // +genclient:nonNamespaced
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
 
 type ClusterTestTypeList struct {
-	metav1.TypeMeta
-	metav1.ListMeta
-	Items []ClusterTestType
+	metav1.TypeMeta `json:",inline"`
+	metav1.ListMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+	Items           []ClusterTestType `json:"items"`
 }
 
 // +genclient
@@ -70,5 +70,5 @@ type ClusterTestType struct {
 }
 
 type ClusterTestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/MixedCase/apis/example/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/MixedCase/apis/example/v1/types.go
index 3eb7669d3fc..f74e27cee0d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/MixedCase/apis/example/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/MixedCase/apis/example/v1/types.go
@@ -43,16 +43,17 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
 
 // +genclient:nonNamespaced
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
 
 type ClusterTestTypeList struct {
-	metav1.TypeMeta
-	metav1.ListMeta
-	Items []ClusterTestType
+	metav1.TypeMeta `json:",inline"`
+	// +optional
+	metav1.ListMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+	Items           []ClusterTestType `json:"items"`
 }
 
 // +genclient
@@ -71,5 +72,5 @@ type ClusterTestType struct {
 }
 
 type ClusterTestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/types.go
index bd725cd6ca5..9ad4579cd31 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/types.go
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ import metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 // TestType is a top-level type. A client is created for it.
 type TestType struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ObjectMeta
+	// +optional
 	Status TestTypeStatus
 }
 
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ type TestType struct {
 // You are not supposed to create a separated client for this one.
 type TestTypeList struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ListMeta
 
 	Items []TestType
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/v1/types.go
index 819ad21a5f8..5a9c0b9a7bd 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/core/v1/types.go
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/types.go
index b4fc976684f..8f3dbb55375 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/types.go
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ import metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 // TestType is a top-level type. A client is created for it.
 type TestType struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ObjectMeta
+	// +optional
 	Status TestTypeStatus
 }
 
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ type TestType struct {
 // You are not supposed to create a separated client for this one.
 type TestTypeList struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ListMeta
 
 	Items []TestType
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/v1/types.go
index 5c2ebc4d6f4..24a1a348c35 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example/v1/types.go
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/types.go
index a23ee09185c..3bdcf2a9a4b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/types.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 // +genclient
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
 // +genclient:nonNamespaced
+//
 // TestType is a top-level type. A client is created for it.
 type TestType struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/v1/types.go
index 5c2ebc4d6f4..24a1a348c35 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example2/v1/types.go
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/types.go
index 0c49b45f367..a020b0af534 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/types.go
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ import metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 // TestType is a top-level type. A client is created for it.
 type TestType struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ObjectMeta
+	// +optional
 	Status TestTypeStatus
 }
 
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ type TestType struct {
 // You are not supposed to create a separated client for this one.
 type TestTypeList struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta
+	// +optional
 	metav1.ListMeta
 
 	Items []TestType
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/v1/types.go
index 5c2ebc4d6f4..24a1a348c35 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/apiserver/apis/example3.io/v1/types.go
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example/v1/types.go
index d92582569c7..0fc1edb41c9 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example/v1/types.go
@@ -44,16 +44,18 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
 
 // +genclient:nonNamespaced
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
 
 type ClusterTestTypeList struct {
-	metav1.TypeMeta
-	metav1.ListMeta
-	Items []ClusterTestType
+	metav1.TypeMeta `json:",inline"`
+	// +optional
+	metav1.ListMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+
+	Items []ClusterTestType `json:"items"`
 }
 
 // +genclient
@@ -71,5 +73,5 @@ type ClusterTestType struct {
 }
 
 type ClusterTestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example2/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example2/v1/types.go
index 5c2ebc4d6f4..24a1a348c35 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example2/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/crd/apis/example2/v1/types.go
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/single/api/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/single/api/v1/types.go
index 8543ad26c26..f1bd68f4981 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/single/api/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/examples/single/api/v1/types.go
@@ -43,16 +43,17 @@ type TestTypeList struct {
 }
 
 type TestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }
 
 // +genclient:nonNamespaced
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen:interfaces=k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime.Object
 
 type ClusterTestTypeList struct {
-	metav1.TypeMeta
-	metav1.ListMeta
-	Items []ClusterTestType
+	metav1.TypeMeta `json:",inline"`
+	// +optional
+	metav1.ListMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+	Items           []ClusterTestType `json:"items"`
 }
 
 // +genclient
@@ -70,5 +71,5 @@ type ClusterTestType struct {
 }
 
 type ClusterTestTypeStatus struct {
-	Blah string
+	Blah string `json:"blah"`
 }