diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.test.tsx b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.test.tsx
index fc502de2d8..a077bd9e78 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.test.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const setup = (override = {}) => {
     removeTagValue: jest.fn(),
     autoFocus: true,
     value: [],
+    helpText: '',
     ...override,
   }
 
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.tsx b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.tsx
index f01224c756..643bf7cb3c 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement.tsx
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@ interface Props {
   removeTagValue: (item: string, fieldName: string) => void
   autoFocus: boolean
   value: string[]
+  helpText: string
 }
 
 class ConfigFieldSwitcher extends PureComponent<Props> {
   public render() {
-    const {fieldName, autoFocus} = this.props
+    const {fieldName, autoFocus, helpText} = this.props
+
     return (
-      <Form.Element label={fieldName} key={fieldName}>
+      <Form.Element label={fieldName} key={fieldName} helpText={helpText}>
         <TagInput
           title={fieldName}
           autoFocus={autoFocus}
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.test.tsx b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.test.tsx
index 159fe6f715..71340ca5cc 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.test.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 // Libraries
 import React from 'react'
-import {shallow} from 'enzyme'
+import {shallow, mount} from 'enzyme'
 
 // Components
 import ConfigFieldSwitcher from 'src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher'
 import ArrayFormElement from 'src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ArrayFormElement'
 import URIFormElement from 'src/shared/components/URIFormElement'
-import {Input} from 'src/clockface'
+import {Input, FormElement} from 'src/clockface'
 
 // Types
 import {ConfigFieldType} from 'src/types/v2/dataLoaders'
 
-const setup = (override = {}) => {
+const setup = (override = {}, shouldMount = false) => {
   const props = {
     fieldName: '',
     fieldType: ConfigFieldType.String,
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@ const setup = (override = {}) => {
     removeTagValue: jest.fn(),
     index: 0,
     value: '',
+    isRequired: true,
     ...override,
   }
 
-  const wrapper = shallow(<ConfigFieldSwitcher {...props} />)
+  const wrapper = shouldMount
+    ? mount(<ConfigFieldSwitcher {...props} />)
+    : shallow(<ConfigFieldSwitcher {...props} />)
 
   return {wrapper}
 }
@@ -40,29 +43,89 @@ describe('Onboarding.Components.ConfigureStep.Streaming.ConfigFieldSwitcher', ()
       expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true)
       expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
     })
+
+    describe('if not required', () => {
+      it('optional is displayed as help text', () => {
+        const fieldName = 'yo'
+        const fieldType = ConfigFieldType.String
+        const value = ''
+        const {wrapper} = setup({
+          fieldName,
+          fieldType,
+          isRequired: false,
+          value,
+        })
+
+        const input = wrapper.find(Input)
+        const formElement = wrapper.find(FormElement)
+
+        expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true)
+        expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
+        expect(formElement.prop('helpText')).toBe('optional')
+      })
+    })
   })
+
   describe('if type is array', () => {
     it('renders an array input', () => {
       const fieldName = ['yo']
       const fieldType = ConfigFieldType.StringArray
-      const {wrapper} = setup({fieldName, fieldType})
+      const value = []
+      const {wrapper} = setup({fieldName, fieldType, value}, true)
 
       const input = wrapper.find(ArrayFormElement)
+      const formElement = wrapper.find(FormElement)
+
+      expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
+      expect(formElement.prop('helpText')).toBe('')
+    })
+
+    describe('if not required', () => {
+      const fieldName = ['yo']
+      const value = []
+      const fieldType = ConfigFieldType.StringArray
+      const {wrapper} = setup(
+        {fieldName, fieldType, value, isRequired: false},
+        true
+      )
+
+      const input = wrapper.find(ArrayFormElement)
+      const formElement = wrapper.find(FormElement)
 
       expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true)
       expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
+      expect(formElement.prop('helpText')).toBe('optional')
     })
   })
+
   describe('if type is uri', () => {
     it('renders a uri input ', () => {
       const fieldName = ['http://google.com']
       const fieldType = ConfigFieldType.Uri
-      const {wrapper} = setup({fieldName, fieldType})
+      const value = ''
+      const {wrapper} = setup({fieldName, fieldType, value}, true)
 
       const input = wrapper.find(URIFormElement)
 
       expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true)
       expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
     })
+
+    describe('if not required', () => {
+      it('optional is displayed as help text', () => {
+        const fieldName = ['http://google.com']
+        const fieldType = ConfigFieldType.Uri
+        const value = ''
+        const {wrapper} = setup(
+          {fieldName, fieldType, value, isRequired: false},
+          true
+        )
+
+        const input = wrapper.find(URIFormElement)
+
+        expect(wrapper.exists()).toBe(true)
+        expect(input.exists()).toBe(true)
+      })
+    })
   })
 })
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.tsx b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.tsx
index fddcd8f46d..3eb3b3c61f 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/ConfigFieldSwitcher.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ interface Props {
   addTagValue: (item: string, fieldName: string) => void
   removeTagValue: (item: string, fieldName: string) => void
   value: string | string[]
+  isRequired: boolean
 }
 
 class ConfigFieldSwitcher extends PureComponent<Props> {
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ class ConfigFieldSwitcher extends PureComponent<Props> {
             autoFocus={this.autoFocus}
             onChange={onChange}
             value={value as string}
+            helpText={this.optionalText}
           />
         )
       case ConfigFieldType.UriArray:
@@ -44,11 +46,16 @@ class ConfigFieldSwitcher extends PureComponent<Props> {
             removeTagValue={this.props.removeTagValue}
             autoFocus={this.autoFocus}
             value={value as string[]}
+            helpText={this.optionalText}
           />
         )
       case ConfigFieldType.String:
         return (
-          <Form.Element label={fieldName} key={fieldName}>
+          <Form.Element
+            label={fieldName}
+            key={fieldName}
+            helpText={this.optionalText}
+          >
             <Input
               name={fieldName}
               autoFocus={this.autoFocus}
@@ -62,6 +69,12 @@ class ConfigFieldSwitcher extends PureComponent<Props> {
     }
   }
 
+  private get optionalText(): string {
+    if (!this.props.isRequired) {
+      return 'optional'
+    }
+  }
+
   private get autoFocus(): boolean {
     const {index} = this.props
     return index === 0
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/PluginConfigForm.tsx b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/PluginConfigForm.tsx
index 4b688a3035..807779d5e0 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/PluginConfigForm.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/components/configureStep/streaming/PluginConfigForm.tsx
@@ -51,20 +51,23 @@ class PluginConfigForm extends PureComponent<Props> {
       return <p>No configuration required.</p>
     }
 
-    return Object.entries(configFields).map(([fieldName, fieldType], i) => {
-      return (
-        <ConfigFieldSwitcher
-          key={fieldName}
-          fieldName={fieldName}
-          fieldType={fieldType}
-          index={i}
-          onChange={this.handleUpdateConfigField}
-          value={this.getFieldValue(telegrafPlugin, fieldName, fieldType)}
-          addTagValue={this.handleAddConfigFieldValue}
-          removeTagValue={this.handleRemoveConfigFieldValue}
-        />
-      )
-    })
+    return Object.entries(configFields).map(
+      ([fieldName, {type: fieldType, isRequired}], i) => {
+        return (
+          <ConfigFieldSwitcher
+            key={fieldName}
+            fieldName={fieldName}
+            fieldType={fieldType}
+            index={i}
+            onChange={this.handleUpdateConfigField}
+            value={this.getFieldValue(telegrafPlugin, fieldName, fieldType)}
+            isRequired={isRequired}
+            addTagValue={this.handleAddConfigFieldValue}
+            removeTagValue={this.handleRemoveConfigFieldValue}
+          />
+        )
+      }
+    )
   }
 
   private handleAddConfigFieldValue = (
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/constants/pluginConfigs.ts b/ui/src/onboarding/constants/pluginConfigs.ts
index 48545be6f2..a69572f989 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/constants/pluginConfigs.ts
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/constants/pluginConfigs.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputDocker.NameEnum.Docker]: {
-    fields: {endpoint: ConfigFieldType.String},
+    fields: {
+      endpoint: {
+        type: ConfigFieldType.String,
+        isRequired: true,
+      },
+    },
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputDocker.NameEnum.Docker,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputDocker.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -97,7 +102,12 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputFile.NameEnum.File]: {
-    fields: {files: ConfigFieldType.StringArray},
+    fields: {
+      files: {
+        type: ConfigFieldType.StringArray,
+        isRequired: true,
+      },
+    },
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputFile.NameEnum.File,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputFile.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -113,7 +123,12 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputKubernetes.NameEnum.Kubernetes]: {
-    fields: {url: ConfigFieldType.Uri},
+    fields: {
+      url: {
+        type: ConfigFieldType.Uri,
+        isRequired: true,
+      },
+    },
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputKubernetes.NameEnum.Kubernetes,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputKubernetes.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -121,7 +136,7 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputLogParser.NameEnum.Logparser]: {
-    fields: {files: ConfigFieldType.StringArray},
+    fields: {files: {type: ConfigFieldType.StringArray, isRequired: true}},
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputLogParser.NameEnum.Logparser,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputLogParser.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -169,7 +184,7 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputProcstat.NameEnum.Procstat]: {
-    fields: {exe: ConfigFieldType.String},
+    fields: {exe: {type: ConfigFieldType.String, isRequired: false}},
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputProcstat.NameEnum.Procstat,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputProcstat.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -177,7 +192,7 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputPrometheus.NameEnum.Prometheus]: {
-    fields: {urls: ConfigFieldType.UriArray},
+    fields: {urls: {type: ConfigFieldType.UriArray, isRequired: true}},
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputPrometheus.NameEnum.Prometheus,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputPrometheus.TypeEnum.Input,
@@ -186,8 +201,8 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputRedis.NameEnum.Redis]: {
     fields: {
-      servers: ConfigFieldType.StringArray,
-      password: ConfigFieldType.String,
+      servers: {type: ConfigFieldType.StringArray, isRequired: true},
+      password: {type: ConfigFieldType.String, isRequired: false},
     },
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputRedis.NameEnum.Redis,
@@ -196,7 +211,7 @@ export const telegrafPluginsInfo: TelegrafPluginInfo = {
     },
   },
   [TelegrafPluginInputSyslog.NameEnum.Syslog]: {
-    fields: {server: ConfigFieldType.String},
+    fields: {server: {type: ConfigFieldType.String, isRequired: true}},
     defaults: {
       name: TelegrafPluginInputSyslog.NameEnum.Syslog,
       type: TelegrafPluginInputSyslog.TypeEnum.Input,
diff --git a/ui/src/onboarding/reducers/dataLoaders.ts b/ui/src/onboarding/reducers/dataLoaders.ts
index c48eb9e4fb..0e804e0321 100644
--- a/ui/src/onboarding/reducers/dataLoaders.ts
+++ b/ui/src/onboarding/reducers/dataLoaders.ts
@@ -189,29 +189,36 @@ export default (state = INITIAL_STATE, action: Action): DataLoadersState => {
               return {...tp, configured: ConfigurationState.Configured}
             }
 
-            const plugin = getDeep<Plugin>(tp, 'plugin', createNewPlugin(name))
-            const {config} = plugin
+            const {config} = getDeep<Plugin>(
+              tp,
+              'plugin',
+              createNewPlugin(name)
+            )
+
             let isValidConfig = true
 
-            Object.entries(configFields).forEach(configField => {
-              const [fieldName, fieldType] = configField
-              const fieldValue = config[fieldName]
+            Object.entries(configFields).forEach(
+              ([fieldName, {type: fieldType, isRequired}]) => {
+                if (isRequired) {
+                  const fieldValue = config[fieldName]
 
-              const isValidUri =
-                fieldType === ConfigFieldType.Uri &&
-                validateURI(fieldValue as string)
-              const isValidString =
-                fieldType === ConfigFieldType.String &&
-                (fieldValue as string) !== ''
-              const isValidArray =
-                (fieldType === ConfigFieldType.StringArray ||
-                  fieldType === ConfigFieldType.UriArray) &&
-                (fieldValue as string[]).length
+                  const isValidUri =
+                    fieldType === ConfigFieldType.Uri &&
+                    validateURI(fieldValue as string)
+                  const isValidString =
+                    fieldType === ConfigFieldType.String &&
+                    (fieldValue as string) !== ''
+                  const isValidArray =
+                    (fieldType === ConfigFieldType.StringArray ||
+                      fieldType === ConfigFieldType.UriArray) &&
+                    (fieldValue as string[]).length
 
-              if (!isValidUri && !isValidString && !isValidArray) {
-                isValidConfig = false
+                  if (!isValidUri && !isValidString && !isValidArray) {
+                    isValidConfig = false
+                  }
+                }
               }
-            })
+            )
 
             if (!isValidConfig || _.isEmpty(config)) {
               return {...tp, configured: ConfigurationState.Unconfigured}
diff --git a/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.test.tsx b/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.test.tsx
index 5aaf4b1771..53bf2d9204 100644
--- a/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.test.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const setup = (override = {}) => {
     name: '',
     value: '',
     onChange: jest.fn(),
+    helpText: '',
     ...override,
   }
 
diff --git a/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.tsx b/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.tsx
index eb365a055c..3b0ba3c788 100644
--- a/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/shared/components/URIFormElement.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ interface Props {
   name: string
   autoFocus?: boolean
   value: string
+  helpText: string
   onChange: (e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => void
 }
 
@@ -37,10 +38,15 @@ class URIFormElement extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
   }
 
   public render() {
-    const {name, value, autoFocus} = this.props
+    const {name, value, autoFocus, helpText} = this.props
 
     return (
-      <FormElement label={name} key={name} errorMessage={this.errorMessage}>
+      <FormElement
+        label={name}
+        key={name}
+        errorMessage={this.errorMessage}
+        helpText={helpText}
+      >
         <Input
           name={name}
           autoFocus={autoFocus}
diff --git a/ui/src/types/v2/dataLoaders.ts b/ui/src/types/v2/dataLoaders.ts
index bf8ebe5623..a330520abd 100644
--- a/ui/src/types/v2/dataLoaders.ts
+++ b/ui/src/types/v2/dataLoaders.ts
@@ -174,9 +174,15 @@ export enum ConfigFieldType {
 }
 
 export interface ConfigFields {
-  [field: string]: ConfigFieldType
+  [field: string]: {
+    type: ConfigFieldType
+    isRequired: boolean
+  }
 }
 
 export interface TelegrafPluginInfo {
-  [name: string]: {fields: ConfigFields; defaults: Plugin}
+  [name: string]: {
+    fields: ConfigFields
+    defaults: Plugin
+  }
 }