diff --git a/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/model.py b/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/model.py
index c222973d..a0d3a144 100644
--- a/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/model.py
+++ b/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/model.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class PyTorchJobConfig(BaseModel):
         min_length=1
     )
     node_count: Optional[int] = Field(
-        default=1,
+        default=None,
         alias="node_count", 
         description="Number of nodes",
         ge=1
diff --git a/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/schema.json b/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/schema.json
index 88caab3c..4b86c591 100644
--- a/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/schema.json
+++ b/hyperpod-pytorch-job-template/hyperpod_pytorch_job_template/v1_1/schema.json
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
           "type": "null"
         }
       ],
-      "default": 1,
+      "default": null,
       "description": "Number of nodes",
       "title": "Node Count"
     },