diff --git a/proto/opamp.proto b/proto/opamp.proto
index d497d2e..3506729 100644
--- a/proto/opamp.proto
+++ b/proto/opamp.proto
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ message OpAMPConnectionSettings {
 
     // The Agent MUST periodically send an AgentToServer message if the
     // AgentCapabilities_ReportsHeartbeat capability is true. At a minimum the instance_uid
-    // field MUST be set. It is recommended that the Agent also set ComponentHealth as well.
+    // field MUST be set.
     //
     // A Polling-based HTTP Client MUST use the value as polling interval.
     //
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ message OpAMPConnectionSettings {
     //
     // This field is optional:
     // if the capability is true but this field has no value, a default heartbeat interval of 30 seconds should be used.
-    optional uint64 heartbeat_interval_seconds = 4;
+    uint64 heartbeat_interval_seconds = 4;
 }
 
 // The TelemetryConnectionSettings message is a collection of fields which comprise an
diff --git a/specification.md b/specification.md
index bbc8c61..2193bbe 100644
--- a/specification.md
+++ b/specification.md
@@ -1872,7 +1872,7 @@ This field can be used to perform a client certificate revocation/rotation.
 
 If the ReportsHeartbeat capability is true, the Client MUST use the offered heartbeat
 interval to periodically send an AgentToServer message. At a minimum the instance_uid
-field MUST be set. It is recommended that the Agent also set ComponentHealth as well.
+field MUST be set.
 An HTTP based-client MUST use the heartbeat interval as its polling interval.
 
 A heartbeat is used to keep a load balancer connection active and inform the server that