diff --git a/lib/schemas/encoder_metadata_schema.xsd b/lib/schemas/encoder_metadata_schema.xsd
index e4953f2d3..4bcaa06ec 100644
--- a/lib/schemas/encoder_metadata_schema.xsd
+++ b/lib/schemas/encoder_metadata_schema.xsd
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
         <xs:element name="reference" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="software_name" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="software_license" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
-        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
+        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="solution" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 
         <!--I/O: an encoder writes it's output to one fact, and reads from one or more-->
diff --git a/lib/schemas/generator_metadata_schema.xsd b/lib/schemas/generator_metadata_schema.xsd
index 9beffbd9c..2e546e8c1 100644
--- a/lib/schemas/generator_metadata_schema.xsd
+++ b/lib/schemas/generator_metadata_schema.xsd
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
         <xs:element name="reference" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="software_name" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="software_license" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
-        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
+        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="solution" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 
         <!--I/O: a generator writes it's output to one fact & can also take inputs-->
diff --git a/lib/schemas/vulnerability_metadata_schema.xsd b/lib/schemas/vulnerability_metadata_schema.xsd
index c696a3442..5d829f2f4 100644
--- a/lib/schemas/vulnerability_metadata_schema.xsd
+++ b/lib/schemas/vulnerability_metadata_schema.xsd
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
 
         <!--optional hints-->
         <xs:element name="msf_module" type="MSFregexp" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
-        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
+        <xs:element name="hint" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
         <xs:element name="solution" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 
         <!-- cannot co-exist with a system matching ALL of the optionally specified values (can be repeated for OR)-->