diff --git a/protos/feast/core/Permission.proto b/protos/feast/core/Permission.proto
index aba9f0bb40a..e464164afa0 100644
--- a/protos/feast/core/Permission.proto
+++ b/protos/feast/core/Permission.proto
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ syntax = "proto3";
 package feast.core;
 
 option go_package = "github.com/feast-dev/feast/go/protos/feast/core";
-option java_outer_classname = "Permission";
+option java_outer_classname = "PermissionProto";
 option java_package = "feast.proto.core";
 
 import "feast/core/Policy.proto";
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ message Permission {
 
   bool with_subclasses = 4;
 
-  optional string name_pattern = 5;
+  string name_pattern = 5;
 
   map<string, string> required_tags = 6;
 
diff --git a/protos/feast/core/Policy.proto b/protos/feast/core/Policy.proto
index e4313535ec8..7ad42b9797a 100644
--- a/protos/feast/core/Policy.proto
+++ b/protos/feast/core/Policy.proto
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ syntax = "proto3";
 package feast.core;
 
 option go_package = "github.com/feast-dev/feast/go/protos/feast/core";
-option java_outer_classname = "Policy";
+option java_outer_classname = "PolicyProto";
 option java_package = "feast.proto.core";
 
 message Policy {
diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/permissions/permission.py b/sdk/python/feast/permissions/permission.py
index cb2e1250f5b..b62fa7c01a1 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/permissions/permission.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/permissions/permission.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def to_proto(self) -> PermissionProto:
             name=self.name,
             types=types,
             with_subclasses=self.with_subclasses,
-            name_pattern=self.name_pattern if self.name_pattern is not None else None,
+            name_pattern=self.name_pattern if self.name_pattern is not None else "",
             actions=actions,
             policy=self.policy.to_proto(),
             tags=self._tags if self._tags is not None else None,