diff --git a/go/management/management.pb.go b/go/management/management.pb.go
index 8b5e56e..7b2b967 100644
--- a/go/management/management.pb.go
+++ b/go/management/management.pb.go
@@ -1742,12 +1742,13 @@ func (b0 DeletePoolResponse_builder) Build() *DeletePoolResponse {
 	return m0
 }
 
+// New in 8.5.
 type BuddyGroupOptions struct {
 	state protoimpl.MessageState `protogen:"hybrid.v1"`
 	// The quota accounting mode for this buddy group.
 	// When used for setting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
-	// When used for getting options: Required if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
+	// When used for getting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
 	QuotaAccounting *BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=quota_accounting,json=quotaAccounting,proto3,enum=management.BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting,oneof" json:"quota_accounting,omitempty"`
 	unknownFields   protoimpl.UnknownFields
@@ -1807,7 +1808,7 @@ type BuddyGroupOptions_builder struct {
 	// The quota accounting mode for this buddy group.
 	// When used for setting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
-	// When used for getting options: Required if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
+	// When used for getting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
 	QuotaAccounting *BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting
 }
@@ -1942,7 +1943,7 @@ type CreateBuddyGroupRequest struct {
 	// Required. One identifier is sufficient.
 	SecondaryTarget *beegfs.EntityIdSet `protobuf:"bytes,5,opt,name=secondary_target,json=secondaryTarget,proto3,oneof" json:"secondary_target,omitempty"`
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility. Assume default values if unset.
 	Options       *BuddyGroupOptions `protobuf:"bytes,6,opt,name=options,proto3,oneof" json:"options,omitempty"`
 	unknownFields protoimpl.UnknownFields
 	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
@@ -2124,7 +2125,7 @@ type CreateBuddyGroupRequest_builder struct {
 	// Required. One identifier is sufficient.
 	SecondaryTarget *beegfs.EntityIdSet
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility. Assume default values if unset.
 	Options *BuddyGroupOptions
 }
 
@@ -2214,6 +2215,7 @@ func (b0 CreateBuddyGroupResponse_builder) Build() *CreateBuddyGroupResponse {
 }
 
 // Modifies a buddy group or its config.
+// New in 8.5.
 type ModifyBuddyGroupRequest struct {
 	state protoimpl.MessageState `protogen:"hybrid.v1"`
 	// The buddy group to modify.
@@ -5009,7 +5011,7 @@ type GetBuddyGroupsResponse_BuddyGroup struct {
 	// set, should be completely populated.
 	StoragePool *beegfs.EntityIdSet `protobuf:"bytes,7,opt,name=storage_pool,json=storagePool,proto3,oneof" json:"storage_pool,omitempty"`
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility.
 	Options       *BuddyGroupOptions `protobuf:"bytes,8,opt,name=options,proto3,oneof" json:"options,omitempty"`
 	unknownFields protoimpl.UnknownFields
 	sizeCache     protoimpl.SizeCache
@@ -5209,7 +5211,7 @@ type GetBuddyGroupsResponse_BuddyGroup_builder struct {
 	// set, should be completely populated.
 	StoragePool *beegfs.EntityIdSet
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility.
 	Options *BuddyGroupOptions
 }
 
diff --git a/go/management/management_protoopaque.pb.go b/go/management/management_protoopaque.pb.go
index 3f939e4..eb979aa 100644
--- a/go/management/management_protoopaque.pb.go
+++ b/go/management/management_protoopaque.pb.go
@@ -1755,6 +1755,7 @@ func (b0 DeletePoolResponse_builder) Build() *DeletePoolResponse {
 	return m0
 }
 
+// New in 8.5.
 type BuddyGroupOptions struct {
 	state                      protoimpl.MessageState                      `protogen:"opaque.v1"`
 	xxx_hidden_QuotaAccounting BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=quota_accounting,json=quotaAccounting,proto3,enum=management.BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting,oneof" json:"quota_accounting,omitempty"`
@@ -1821,7 +1822,7 @@ type BuddyGroupOptions_builder struct {
 	// The quota accounting mode for this buddy group.
 	// When used for setting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
-	// When used for getting options: Required if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
+	// When used for getting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
 	// unset otherwise.
 	QuotaAccounting *BuddyGroupOptions_BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting
 }
@@ -2143,7 +2144,7 @@ type CreateBuddyGroupRequest_builder struct {
 	// Required. One identifier is sufficient.
 	SecondaryTarget *beegfs.EntityIdSet
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility. Assume default values if unset.
 	Options *BuddyGroupOptions
 }
 
@@ -2240,6 +2241,7 @@ func (b0 CreateBuddyGroupResponse_builder) Build() *CreateBuddyGroupResponse {
 }
 
 // Modifies a buddy group or its config.
+// New in 8.5.
 type ModifyBuddyGroupRequest struct {
 	state              protoimpl.MessageState `protogen:"opaque.v1"`
 	xxx_hidden_Group   *beegfs.EntityIdSet    `protobuf:"bytes,1,opt,name=group,proto3,oneof" json:"group,omitempty"`
@@ -5265,7 +5267,7 @@ type GetBuddyGroupsResponse_BuddyGroup_builder struct {
 	// set, should be completely populated.
 	StoragePool *beegfs.EntityIdSet
 	// The options for this buddy group.
-	// Required.
+	// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility.
 	Options *BuddyGroupOptions
 }
 
diff --git a/proto/management.proto b/proto/management.proto
index 7479036..481329c 100644
--- a/proto/management.proto
+++ b/proto/management.proto
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ message DeletePoolResponse {
 
 // Buddy groups
 
+// New in 8.5.
 message BuddyGroupOptions {
   enum BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting {
     BUDDY_GROUP_QUOTA_ACCOUNTING_UNSPECIFIED = 0;
@@ -312,7 +313,7 @@ message BuddyGroupOptions {
   // The quota accounting mode for this buddy group.
   // When used for setting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
   // unset otherwise.
-  // When used for getting options: Required if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
+  // When used for getting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
   // unset otherwise.
   optional BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting quota_accounting = 1;
 }
@@ -345,7 +346,7 @@ message GetBuddyGroupsResponse {
     // set, should be completely populated.
     optional beegfs.EntityIdSet storage_pool = 7;
     // The options for this buddy group.
-    // Required.
+    // New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility.
     optional BuddyGroupOptions options = 8;
   }
 
@@ -371,7 +372,7 @@ message CreateBuddyGroupRequest {
   // Required. One identifier is sufficient.
   optional beegfs.EntityIdSet secondary_target = 5;
   // The options for this buddy group.
-  // Required.
+  // New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility. Assume default values if unset.
   optional BuddyGroupOptions options = 6;
 }
 message CreateBuddyGroupResponse {
@@ -381,6 +382,7 @@ message CreateBuddyGroupResponse {
 }
 
 // Modifies a buddy group or its config.
+// New in 8.5.
 message ModifyBuddyGroupRequest {
   // The buddy group to modify.
   // Required. One identifier is sufficient.
diff --git a/rust/management.rs b/rust/management.rs
index 7c38fa5..42f1640 100644
--- a/rust/management.rs
+++ b/rust/management.rs
@@ -330,12 +330,13 @@ pub struct DeletePoolResponse {
     #[prost(message, optional, tag = "1")]
     pub pool: ::core::option::Option<super::beegfs::EntityIdSet>,
 }
+/// New in 8.5.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, ::prost::Message)]
 pub struct BuddyGroupOptions {
     /// The quota accounting mode for this buddy group.
     /// When used for setting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
     /// unset otherwise.
-    /// When used for getting options: Required if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
+    /// When used for getting options: Optional if the corresponding buddy group is a storage group,
     /// unset otherwise.
     #[prost(
         enumeration = "buddy_group_options::BuddyGroupQuotaAccounting",
@@ -430,7 +431,7 @@ pub mod get_buddy_groups_response {
         #[prost(message, optional, tag = "7")]
         pub storage_pool: ::core::option::Option<super::super::beegfs::EntityIdSet>,
         /// The options for this buddy group.
-        /// Required.
+        /// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility.
         #[prost(message, optional, tag = "8")]
         pub options: ::core::option::Option<super::BuddyGroupOptions>,
     }
@@ -459,7 +460,7 @@ pub struct CreateBuddyGroupRequest {
     #[prost(message, optional, tag = "5")]
     pub secondary_target: ::core::option::Option<super::beegfs::EntityIdSet>,
     /// The options for this buddy group.
-    /// Required.
+    /// New in 8.5. Optional for compatibility. Assume default values if unset.
     #[prost(message, optional, tag = "6")]
     pub options: ::core::option::Option<BuddyGroupOptions>,
 }
@@ -471,6 +472,7 @@ pub struct CreateBuddyGroupResponse {
     pub group: ::core::option::Option<super::beegfs::EntityIdSet>,
 }
 /// Modifies a buddy group or its config.
+/// New in 8.5.
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, ::prost::Message)]
 pub struct ModifyBuddyGroupRequest {
     /// The buddy group to modify.