diff --git a/api/aliases/alias.gen.go b/api/aliases/alias.gen.go
index e5a4b2161..290cdd194 100644
--- a/api/aliases/alias.gen.go
+++ b/api/aliases/alias.gen.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func (c *Client) ApiClient() *api.Client {
 	return c.client
 }
 
-func (c *Client) Create(ctx context.Context, resourceType string, alias string, scopeId string, opt ...Option) (*AliasCreateResult, error) {
+func (c *Client) Create(ctx context.Context, resourceType string, scopeId string, opt ...Option) (*AliasCreateResult, error) {
 	if scopeId == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty scopeId value passed into Create request")
 	}
@@ -130,11 +130,6 @@ func (c *Client) Create(ctx context.Context, resourceType string, alias string,
 	} else {
 		opts.postMap["type"] = resourceType
 	}
-	if alias == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty alias value passed into Create request")
-	} else {
-		opts.postMap["value"] = alias
-	}
 
 	opts.postMap["scope_id"] = scopeId
 
diff --git a/api/aliases/option.gen.go b/api/aliases/option.gen.go
index 102710a89..8542936d3 100644
--- a/api/aliases/option.gen.go
+++ b/api/aliases/option.gen.go
@@ -156,3 +156,9 @@ func WithValue(inValue string) Option {
 		o.postMap["value"] = inValue
 	}
 }
+
+func DefaultValue() Option {
+	return func(o *options) {
+		o.postMap["value"] = nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/alias/target/store/alias.pb.go b/internal/alias/target/store/alias.pb.go
index a80a513d8..ed7dbfae2 100644
--- a/internal/alias/target/store/alias.pb.go
+++ b/internal/alias/target/store/alias.pb.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.31.0
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.32.0
 // 	protoc        (unknown)
 // source: controller/storage/alias/target/store/v1/alias.proto
 
diff --git a/internal/api/genapi/input.go b/internal/api/genapi/input.go
index 0b466b86c..956d2d3a5 100644
--- a/internal/api/genapi/input.go
+++ b/internal/api/genapi/input.go
@@ -799,11 +799,6 @@ var inputStructs = []*structInfo{
 								Typ:      "string",
 								PostType: "type",
 							},
-							{
-								Name:     "alias",
-								Typ:      "string",
-								PostType: "value",
-							},
 						}
 					},
 				},
@@ -813,12 +808,6 @@ var inputStructs = []*structInfo{
 			deleteTemplate,
 			listTemplate,
 		},
-		fieldOverrides: []fieldInfo{
-			{
-				Name:        "Value",
-				SkipDefault: true,
-			},
-		},
 		pluralResourceName:  "aliases",
 		versionEnabled:      true,
 		createResponseTypes: []string{CreateResponseType, ReadResponseType, UpdateResponseType, DeleteResponseType, ListResponseType},
diff --git a/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_aliases.gen.go b/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_aliases.gen.go
index c67a9ae81..e265806eb 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_aliases.gen.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_aliases.gen.go
@@ -204,10 +204,20 @@ func (c *TargetCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	var resp *api.Response
 	var item *aliases.Alias
 
+	var createResult *aliases.AliasCreateResult
+
 	var updateResult *aliases.AliasUpdateResult
 
 	switch c.Func {
 
+	case "create":
+		createResult, err = aliasesClient.Create(c.Context, "target", c.FlagScopeId, opts...)
+		if exitCode := c.checkFuncError(err); exitCode > 0 {
+			return exitCode
+		}
+		resp = createResult.GetResponse()
+		item = createResult.GetItem()
+
 	case "update":
 		updateResult, err = aliasesClient.Update(c.Context, c.FlagId, version, opts...)
 		if exitCode := c.checkFuncError(err); exitCode > 0 {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_funcs.go b/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_funcs.go
index f1fa9047d..8cc767c60 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_funcs.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/commands/aliasescmd/target_funcs.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 package aliasescmd
 
 import (
-	"github.com/hashicorp/boundary/api"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/boundary/api/aliases"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/boundary/internal/cmd/base"
 )
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@ func init() {
 	extraTargetActionsFlagsMapFunc = extraTargetActionsFlagsMapFuncImpl
 	extraTargetFlagsFunc = extraTargetFlagsFuncImpl
 	extraTargetFlagsHandlingFunc = extraTargetFlagHandlingFuncImpl
-	executeExtraTargetActions = executeExtraTargetActionsImpl
 }
 
 type extraTargetCmdVars struct {
@@ -103,6 +101,7 @@ func extraTargetFlagHandlingFuncImpl(c *TargetCommand, _ *base.FlagSets, opts *[
 	switch c.flagValue {
 	case "":
 	case "null":
+		*opts = append(*opts, aliases.DefaultValue())
 	default:
 		*opts = append(*opts, aliases.WithValue(c.flagValue))
 	}
@@ -125,18 +124,3 @@ func extraTargetFlagHandlingFuncImpl(c *TargetCommand, _ *base.FlagSets, opts *[
 
 	return true
 }
-
-func executeExtraTargetActionsImpl(c *TargetCommand, inResp *api.Response, inItem *aliases.Alias, inErr error, aliasesClient *aliases.Client, version uint32, opts []aliases.Option) (*api.Response, *aliases.Alias, error) {
-	switch c.Func {
-	case "create":
-		// we specify our own create action here because we have more required
-		// fields in the sdk than is specified in the templates for all the other
-		// resources.
-		createResult, err := aliasesClient.Create(c.Context, "target", c.flagValue, c.FlagScopeId, opts...)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, err
-		}
-		return createResult.GetResponse(), createResult.GetItem(), nil
-	}
-	return inResp, inItem, inErr
-}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/gencli/input.go b/internal/cmd/gencli/input.go
index 4c1fd3d96..977e62417 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/gencli/input.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/gencli/input.go
@@ -171,20 +171,19 @@ var inputStructs = map[string][]*cmdInfo{
 			HasId:            true,
 		},
 		{
-			ResourceType:          resource.Alias.String(),
-			Pkg:                   "aliases",
-			StdActions:            []string{"create", "update"},
-			SubActionPrefix:       "target",
-			HasExtraCommandVars:   true,
-			SkipNormalHelp:        true,
-			HasExtraHelpFunc:      true,
-			HasId:                 true,
-			HasName:               true,
-			HasDescription:        true,
-			Container:             "Scope",
-			VersionedActions:      []string{"update"},
-			NeedsSubtypeInCreate:  true,
-			SkipClientCallActions: []string{"create"},
+			ResourceType:         resource.Alias.String(),
+			Pkg:                  "aliases",
+			StdActions:           []string{"create", "update"},
+			SubActionPrefix:      "target",
+			HasExtraCommandVars:  true,
+			SkipNormalHelp:       true,
+			HasExtraHelpFunc:     true,
+			HasId:                true,
+			HasName:              true,
+			HasDescription:       true,
+			Container:            "Scope",
+			VersionedActions:     []string{"update"},
+			NeedsSubtypeInCreate: true,
 		},
 	},
 	"authmethods": {
diff --git a/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.go b/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.go
index b784e75bb..04a3043e7 100644
--- a/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.go
+++ b/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.31.0
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.32.0
 // 	protoc        (unknown)
 // source: controller/api/services/v1/alias_service.proto
 
diff --git a/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.gw.go b/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.gw.go
index 1ee5044cf..89cd2ecc2 100644
--- a/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.gw.go
+++ b/internal/gen/controller/api/services/alias_service.pb.gw.go
@@ -123,11 +123,7 @@ func request_AliasService_CreateAlias_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtime.M
 	var protoReq CreateAliasRequest
 	var metadata runtime.ServerMetadata
 
-	newReader, berr := utilities.IOReaderFactory(req.Body)
-	if berr != nil {
-		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", berr)
-	}
-	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(newReader()).Decode(&protoReq.Item); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
+	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(req.Body).Decode(&protoReq.Item); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
 		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -140,11 +136,7 @@ func local_request_AliasService_CreateAlias_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler run
 	var protoReq CreateAliasRequest
 	var metadata runtime.ServerMetadata
 
-	newReader, berr := utilities.IOReaderFactory(req.Body)
-	if berr != nil {
-		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", berr)
-	}
-	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(newReader()).Decode(&protoReq.Item); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
+	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(req.Body).Decode(&protoReq.Item); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
 		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -154,7 +146,7 @@ func local_request_AliasService_CreateAlias_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler run
 }
 
 var (
-	filter_AliasService_UpdateAlias_0 = &utilities.DoubleArray{Encoding: map[string]int{"item": 0, "id": 1}, Base: []int{1, 2, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0}, Check: []int{0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3}}
+	filter_AliasService_UpdateAlias_0 = &utilities.DoubleArray{Encoding: map[string]int{"item": 0, "id": 1}, Base: []int{1, 1, 2, 0, 0}, Check: []int{0, 1, 1, 2, 3}}
 )
 
 func request_AliasService_UpdateAlias_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtime.Marshaler, client AliasServiceClient, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) (proto.Message, runtime.ServerMetadata, error) {
diff --git a/internal/tests/api/aliases/alias_test.go b/internal/tests/api/aliases/alias_test.go
index fed5ee29d..97276282c 100644
--- a/internal/tests/api/aliases/alias_test.go
+++ b/internal/tests/api/aliases/alias_test.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := lr.Items
 	assert.Len(expected, 0)
 
-	cr, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", "alias0", scopeId)
+	cr, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", scopeId, aliases.WithValue("alias0"))
 	require.NoError(err)
 	require.NotNil(cr)
 	expected = append(expected, cr.Item)
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestList(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.ElementsMatch(comparableSlice(expected[:1]), comparableSlice(ulResult.Items))
 
 	for i := 1; i < 10; i++ {
-		newAcctResult, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", fmt.Sprintf("alias%d", i), scopeId)
+		newAcctResult, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", scopeId, aliases.WithValue(fmt.Sprintf("alias%d", i)))
 		require.NoError(err)
 		expected = append(expected, newAcctResult.Item)
 	}
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ func TestCrud(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.EqualValues(wantedVersion, u.Version)
 	}
 
-	u, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", "alias.value", scopeId,
+	u, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", scopeId,
+		aliases.WithValue("alias.value"),
 		aliases.WithDestinationId(tar.Id),
 		aliases.WithTargetAliasAuthorizeSessionArgumentsHostId("hst_1234567890"))
 	assert.NoError(err)
@@ -158,12 +159,12 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	client.SetToken(token.Token)
 	aliasClient := aliases.NewClient(client)
 
-	u, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", "first", scopeId)
+	u, err := aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", scopeId, aliases.WithValue("first"))
 	require.NoError(err)
 	assert.NotNil(u)
 
 	// Creating an alias of an unknown type
-	_, err = aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "unknown", "first", scopeId)
+	_, err = aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "unknown", scopeId, aliases.WithValue("first"))
 	require.Error(err)
 	apiErr := api.AsServerError(err)
 	require.NotNil(apiErr)
@@ -187,8 +188,15 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(apiErr)
 	assert.EqualValues(http.StatusNotFound, apiErr.Response().StatusCode())
 
+	// Removing the value completely should fail.
+	_, err = aliasClient.Update(tc.Context(), u.Item.Id, u.Item.Version, aliases.DefaultValue())
+	require.Error(err)
+	apiErr = api.AsServerError(err)
+	require.NotNil(apiErr)
+	assert.EqualValues(http.StatusBadRequest, apiErr.Response().StatusCode())
+
 	// Create another resource with the same name.
-	_, err = aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", "first", scopeId)
+	_, err = aliasClient.Create(tc.Context(), "target", scopeId)
 	require.Error(err)
 	apiErr = api.AsServerError(err)
 	require.NotNil(apiErr)
diff --git a/sdk/pbs/controller/api/resources/aliases/alias.pb.go b/sdk/pbs/controller/api/resources/aliases/alias.pb.go
index 49a8fdef1..ab2377066 100644
--- a/sdk/pbs/controller/api/resources/aliases/alias.pb.go
+++ b/sdk/pbs/controller/api/resources/aliases/alias.pb.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.31.0
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.32.0
 // 	protoc        (unknown)
 // source: controller/api/resources/aliases/v1/alias.proto