diff --git a/util/templates/defaults.yaml b/util/templates/defaults.yaml
index 316c8d15a..3fe09e663 100644
--- a/util/templates/defaults.yaml
+++ b/util/templates/defaults.yaml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ params:
     description:
       en: Modbus Type
       de: Modbus Typ
+    required: true
   - name: host
     required: true
     description:
diff --git a/util/templates/init.go b/util/templates/init.go
index 65e3e9c34..619b9c729 100644
--- a/util/templates/init.go
+++ b/util/templates/init.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func fromBytes(b []byte) (Template, error) {
 		return Template{}, err
 	}
 
-	for _, f := range []func() error{tmpl.ResolvePresets, tmpl.ResolveGroup, tmpl.UpdateParamsWithDefaults, tmpl.UpdateModbusParamsWithDefaults, tmpl.Validate} {
+	for _, f := range []func() error{tmpl.ResolvePresets, tmpl.ResolveGroup, tmpl.UpdateParamsWithDefaults, tmpl.UpdateModbusParamsWithDefaults, tmpl.SortRequiredParamsFirst, tmpl.Validate} {
 		if err := f(); err != nil {
 			return tmpl, fmt.Errorf("template '%s': %w", tmpl.Template, err)
 		}
diff --git a/util/templates/template.go b/util/templates/template.go
index 6c92cc2af..247b07a4a 100644
--- a/util/templates/template.go
+++ b/util/templates/template.go
@@ -65,6 +65,20 @@ func (t *Template) UpdateModbusParamsWithDefaults() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (t *Template) SortRequiredParamsFirst() error {
+	slices.SortStableFunc(t.Params, func(a, b Param) int {
+		if a.Required && !b.Required {
+			return -1
+		}
+		if b.Required && !a.Required {
+			return +1
+		}
+		return 0
+	})
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // validate the template (only rudimentary for now)
 func (t *Template) Validate() error {
 	for _, c := range t.Capabilities {