diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.ts b/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.ts
index c55b299541d0a..dcfa7db677db6 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.ts
@@ -116,11 +116,13 @@ function validateConfig(
 
 export type ActionTypeSecretsType = TypeOf<typeof SecretsSchema>;
 
-const SecretsSchema = schema.object({
+const SecretsSchemaProps = {
   user: schema.nullable(schema.string()),
   password: schema.nullable(schema.string()),
   clientSecret: schema.nullable(schema.string()),
-});
+};
+
+const SecretsSchema = schema.object(SecretsSchemaProps);
 
 // params definition
 
@@ -174,8 +176,10 @@ function validateConnector(connector: {
   const config = connector.config;
   const secrets = connector.secrets;
 
-  if (config.service === AdditionalEmailServices.EXCHANGE && secrets.clientSecret == null) {
-    return '[clientSecret] is required';
+  if (config.service === AdditionalEmailServices.EXCHANGE) {
+    if (secrets.clientSecret == null) {
+      return '[clientSecret] is required';
+    }
   } else if (config.hasAuth && (secrets.password == null || secrets.user == null)) {
     if (secrets.user == null) {
       return '[user] is required';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/lib/validate_with_schema.ts b/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/lib/validate_with_schema.ts
index fd3b0be08982e..cc454de1541aa 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/lib/validate_with_schema.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/actions/server/lib/validate_with_schema.ts
@@ -40,15 +40,8 @@ export function validateConnector<
   Secrets extends ActionTypeSecrets = ActionTypeSecrets,
   Params extends ActionTypeParams = ActionTypeParams,
   ExecutorResultData = void
->(
-  actionType: ActionType<Config, Secrets, Params, ExecutorResultData>,
-  config: unknown,
-  secrets?: unknown
-) {
-  return validateWithSchema(actionType, 'connector', {
-    config,
-    secrets,
-  });
+>(actionType: ActionType<Config, Secrets, Params, ExecutorResultData>, value: unknown) {
+  return validateWithSchema(actionType, 'connector', value);
 }
 
 type ValidKeys = 'params' | 'config' | 'secrets' | 'connector';