diff --git a/modules/bigtable-instance/README.md b/modules/bigtable-instance/README.md
index 10c782ae8f..edabb13e04 100644
--- a/modules/bigtable-instance/README.md
+++ b/modules/bigtable-instance/README.md
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ module "bigtable-instance" {
   cluster_id = "instance"
   zone       = "europe-west1-b"
   tables = {
-    test1 = null,
+    test1 = {},
     test2 = {
-      split_keys    = ["a", "b", "c"]
-      column_family = null
+      split_keys = ["a", "b", "c"]
     }
   }
   iam = {
@@ -35,6 +34,30 @@ module "bigtable-instance" {
 # tftest modules=1 resources=4
 ```
 
+### Instance with tables and column families
+
+```hcl
+
+module "bigtable-instance" {
+  source     = "./fabric/modules/bigtable-instance"
+  project_id = "my-project"
+  name       = "instance"
+  cluster_id = "instance"
+  zone       = "europe-west1-b"
+  tables = {
+    test1 = {},
+    test2 = {
+      split_keys      = ["a", "b", "c"]
+      column_families = ["cf1", "cf2", "cf3"]
+    }
+    test3 = {
+      column_families = ["cf1"]
+    }
+  }
+}
+# tftest modules=1 resources=4
+```
+
 ### Instance with static number of nodes
 
 If you are not using autoscaling settings, you must set a specific number of nodes with the variable `num_nodes`.
@@ -101,7 +124,7 @@ module "bigtable-instance" {
 |---|---|:---:|:---:|:---:|
 | [name](variables.tf#L56) | The name of the Cloud Bigtable instance. | <code>string</code> | ✓ |  |
 | [project_id](variables.tf#L67) | Id of the project where datasets will be created. | <code>string</code> | ✓ |  |
-| [zone](variables.tf#L99) | The zone to create the Cloud Bigtable cluster in. | <code>string</code> | ✓ |  |
+| [zone](variables.tf#L88) | The zone to create the Cloud Bigtable cluster in. | <code>string</code> | ✓ |  |
 | [autoscaling_config](variables.tf#L17) | Settings for autoscaling of the instance. If you set this variable, the variable num_nodes is ignored. | <code title="object&#40;&#123;&#10;  min_nodes      &#61; number&#10;  max_nodes      &#61; number&#10;  cpu_target     &#61; number,&#10;  storage_target &#61; optional&#40;number, null&#41;&#10;&#125;&#41;">object&#40;&#123;&#8230;&#125;&#41;</code> |  | <code>null</code> |
 | [cluster_id](variables.tf#L28) | The ID of the Cloud Bigtable cluster. | <code>string</code> |  | <code>&#34;europe-west1&#34;</code> |
 | [deletion_protection](variables.tf#L34) | Whether or not to allow Terraform to destroy the instance. Unless this field is set to false in Terraform state, a terraform destroy or terraform apply that would delete the instance will fail. | <code></code> |  | <code>true</code> |
@@ -110,8 +133,7 @@ module "bigtable-instance" {
 | [instance_type](variables.tf#L50) | (deprecated) The instance type to create. One of 'DEVELOPMENT' or 'PRODUCTION'. | <code>string</code> |  | <code>null</code> |
 | [num_nodes](variables.tf#L61) | The number of nodes in your Cloud Bigtable cluster. This value is ignored if you are using autoscaling. | <code>number</code> |  | <code>1</code> |
 | [storage_type](variables.tf#L72) | The storage type to use. | <code>string</code> |  | <code>&#34;SSD&#34;</code> |
-| [table_options_defaults](variables.tf#L78) | Default option of tables created in the BigTable instance. | <code title="object&#40;&#123;&#10;  split_keys    &#61; list&#40;string&#41;&#10;  column_family &#61; string&#10;&#125;&#41;">object&#40;&#123;&#8230;&#125;&#41;</code> |  | <code title="&#123;&#10;  split_keys    &#61; &#91;&#93;&#10;  column_family &#61; null&#10;&#125;">&#123;&#8230;&#125;</code> |
-| [tables](variables.tf#L90) | Tables to be created in the BigTable instance, options can be null. | <code title="map&#40;object&#40;&#123;&#10;  split_keys    &#61; list&#40;string&#41;&#10;  column_family &#61; string&#10;&#125;&#41;&#41;">map&#40;object&#40;&#123;&#8230;&#125;&#41;&#41;</code> |  | <code>&#123;&#125;</code> |
+| [tables](variables.tf#L78) | Tables to be created in the BigTable instance. | <code title="map&#40;object&#40;&#123;&#10;  split_keys      &#61; optional&#40;list&#40;string&#41;, &#91;&#93;&#41;&#10;  column_families &#61; optional&#40;list&#40;string&#41;, &#91;&#93;&#41;&#10;&#125;&#41;&#41;">map&#40;object&#40;&#123;&#8230;&#125;&#41;&#41;</code> |  | <code>&#123;&#125;</code> |
 
 ## Outputs
 
diff --git a/modules/bigtable-instance/main.tf b/modules/bigtable-instance/main.tf
index b5764c3493..ce56c15f76 100644
--- a/modules/bigtable-instance/main.tf
+++ b/modules/bigtable-instance/main.tf
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
  */
 
 locals {
-  tables = {
-    for k, v in var.tables : k => v != null ? v : var.table_options_defaults
-  }
   num_nodes = var.autoscaling_config == null ? var.num_nodes : null
 }
 
@@ -54,17 +51,17 @@ resource "google_bigtable_instance_iam_binding" "default" {
 }
 
 resource "google_bigtable_table" "default" {
-  for_each      = local.tables
+  for_each      = var.tables
   project       = var.project_id
   instance_name = google_bigtable_instance.default.name
   name          = each.key
   split_keys    = each.value.split_keys
 
   dynamic "column_family" {
-    for_each = each.value.column_family != null ? [""] : []
+    for_each = each.value.column_families
 
     content {
-      family = each.value.column_family
+      family = column_family.value
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/modules/bigtable-instance/variables.tf b/modules/bigtable-instance/variables.tf
index 84a6013b60..ac92c32625 100644
--- a/modules/bigtable-instance/variables.tf
+++ b/modules/bigtable-instance/variables.tf
@@ -75,23 +75,12 @@ variable "storage_type" {
   default     = "SSD"
 }
 
-variable "table_options_defaults" {
-  description = "Default option of tables created in the BigTable instance."
-  type = object({
-    split_keys    = list(string)
-    column_family = string
-  })
-  default = {
-    split_keys    = []
-    column_family = null
-  }
-}
-
 variable "tables" {
-  description = "Tables to be created in the BigTable instance, options can be null."
+  description = "Tables to be created in the BigTable instance."
+  nullable    = false
   type = map(object({
-    split_keys    = list(string)
-    column_family = string
+    split_keys      = optional(list(string), [])
+    column_families = optional(list(string), [])
   }))
   default = {}
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/bigtable_instance/fixture/main.tf b/tests/modules/bigtable_instance/fixture/main.tf
index fa74a6c8e2..c7a4777084 100644
--- a/tests/modules/bigtable_instance/fixture/main.tf
+++ b/tests/modules/bigtable_instance/fixture/main.tf
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ module "test" {
     "roles/bigtable.user" = ["user:me@example.com"]
   }
   tables = {
-    test-1 = null,
+    test-1 = {},
     test-2 = {
-      split_keys    = ["a", "b", "c"]
-      column_family = null
+      split_keys = ["a", "b", "c"]
     }
 
   }