diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.js b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.js
index 2ff56e0e340..f89cac963b0 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.js
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ module.exports = {
       const requestParameters = {};
       if (event.http.request && event.http.request.parameters) {
         Object.entries(event.http.request.parameters).forEach(([key, value]) => {
-          requestParameters[key] = value.required === undefined ? value : value.required;
+          requestParameters[key] = (() => {
+            if (!_.isObject(value)) return value;
+            return value.required != null ? value.required : true;
+          })();
         });
       }
 
diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.test.js b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.test.js
index c1ab20a1c2e..a1a681de78a 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.test.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/package/compile/events/apiGateway/lib/method/index.test.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const expect = require('chai').expect;
 const AwsCompileApigEvents = require('../../index');
 const Serverless = require('../../../../../../../../Serverless');
 const AwsProvider = require('../../../../../../provider/awsProvider');
+const runServerless = require('../../../../../../../../../test/utils/run-serverless');
 
 describe('#compileMethods()', () => {
   let serverless;
@@ -603,6 +604,43 @@ describe('#compileMethods()', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should set required to true when omitted from mapped value', async () => {
+    const { cfTemplate } = await runServerless({
+      cliArgs: ['package'],
+      fixture: 'function',
+      configExt: {
+        functions: {
+          foo: {
+            events: [
+              {
+                http: {
+                  path: 'users/create',
+                  method: 'post',
+                  integration: 'HTTP_PROXY',
+                  request: {
+                    uri: 'https://example.com',
+                    parameters: {
+                      querystrings: {
+                        foo: {
+                          mappedValue: 'bar',
+                        },
+                      },
+                    },
+                  },
+                },
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(
+      cfTemplate.Resources.ApiGatewayMethodUsersCreatePost.Properties.RequestParameters[
+        'method.request.querystring.foo'
+      ]
+    ).to.equal(true);
+  });
+
   it('should set authorizer config for AWS_IAM', () => {
     awsCompileApigEvents.validated.events = [
       {