diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/__init__.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/__init__.py
index 7c66f168..16f93c3f 100644
--- a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/__init__.py
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/__init__.py
@@ -386,12 +386,15 @@ class Task(
     """
 
     name: str = NAME_FIELD
-    description: str = Field(default="")
-    priority: Priority = Field(default=Priority.p2)
-    determinism: TaskDeterminism = Field(default=TaskDeterminism.flexible)
-    instruction: str = Field(min_length=1)
+    description: str | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description="A description of the task for you and your team. Will not be used in prompts/training/validation.",
+    )
+    instruction: str = Field(
+        min_length=1,
+        description="The instructions for the task. Will be used in prompts/training/validation.",
+    )
     requirements: List[TaskRequirement] = Field(default=[])
-    # TODO: make this required, or formalize the default message output schema
     output_json_schema: JsonObjectSchema | None = None
     input_json_schema: JsonObjectSchema | None = None
     thinking_instruction: str | None = Field(
diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_models.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_models.py
index 61eba1d9..a1bd4a8e 100644
--- a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_models.py
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_models.py
@@ -71,9 +71,7 @@ def test_save_to_file(test_project_file):
 
 def test_task_defaults():
     task = Task(name="Test Task", instruction="Test Instruction")
-    assert task.description == ""
-    assert task.priority == Priority.p2
-    assert task.determinism == TaskDeterminism.flexible
+    assert task.description is None
 
 
 def test_task_serialization(test_project_file):
@@ -82,8 +80,6 @@ def test_task_serialization(test_project_file):
         parent=project,
         name="Test Task",
         description="Test Description",
-        determinism=TaskDeterminism.semantic_match,
-        priority=Priority.p0,
         instruction="Test Base Task Instruction",
         thinking_instruction="Test Thinking Instruction",
     )
@@ -95,8 +91,6 @@ def test_task_serialization(test_project_file):
     assert parsed_task.description == "Test Description"
     assert parsed_task.instruction == "Test Base Task Instruction"
     assert parsed_task.thinking_instruction == "Test Thinking Instruction"
-    assert parsed_task.determinism == TaskDeterminism.semantic_match
-    assert parsed_task.priority == Priority.p0
 
 
 def test_save_to_file_without_path():
diff --git a/libs/server/kiln_server/test_task_api.py b/libs/server/kiln_server/test_task_api.py
index 5f130eb0..09d1a8bd 100644
--- a/libs/server/kiln_server/test_task_api.py
+++ b/libs/server/kiln_server/test_task_api.py
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ def test_create_task_success(client, tmp_path):
     assert res["name"] == "Test Task"
     assert res["description"] == "This is a test task"
     assert res["id"] is not None
-    assert res["priority"] == 2
 
     # Verify that project_from_id was called with the correct argument
     mock_project_from_id.assert_called_once_with("project1-id")
@@ -131,7 +130,6 @@ def test_create_task_real_project(client, tmp_path):
         assert res["description"] == "This is a real task"
         assert res["instruction"] == "Task instruction"
         assert res["id"] is not None
-        assert res["priority"] == 2
 
         # Verify the task file on disk
         task_from_disk = project.tasks()[0]
@@ -140,7 +138,6 @@ def test_create_task_real_project(client, tmp_path):
         assert task_from_disk.description == "This is a real task"
         assert task_from_disk.instruction == "Task instruction"
         assert task_from_disk.id == res["id"]
-        assert task_from_disk.priority == 2
 
         # now post again, with an update
         update_data = {
@@ -162,7 +159,6 @@ def test_create_task_real_project(client, tmp_path):
         )
         assert task_from_disk_reloaded.id == task_from_disk.id
         assert task_from_disk_reloaded.instruction == "Task instruction"
-        assert task_from_disk_reloaded.priority == 2
         assert task_from_disk_reloaded.name == "Real Task"
         assert task_from_disk_reloaded.id == task_from_disk.id