diff --git a/api/src/executor/routes.js b/api/src/executor/routes.js
index 2bcd0d7..8943a9a 100644
--- a/api/src/executor/routes.js
+++ b/api/src/executor/routes.js
@@ -22,16 +22,6 @@ module.exports = {
             .contains('/'),
         body('files.*.content')
             .isString(),
-        body('compile_timeout')
-            .isNumeric(),
-        body('run_timeout')
-            .isNumeric(),
-        body('stdin')
-            .isString(),
-        body('args')
-            .isArray(),
-        body('args.*')
-            .isString()
     ],
 
     // POST /jobs
@@ -50,11 +40,11 @@ module.exports = {
             runtime,
             alias: req.body.language,
             files: req.body.files,
-            args: req.body.args,
-            stdin: req.body.stdin,
+            args: req.body.args || [],
+            stdin: req.body.stdin || "",
             timeouts: {
-                run: req.body.run_timeout,
-                compile: req.body.compile_timeout
+                run: req.body.run_timeout || 3000,
+                compile: req.body.compile_timeout || 10000
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 08f15da..26bae26 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -197,10 +197,10 @@ This endpoint requests execution of some arbitrary code.
 - `files` (**required**) An array of files containing code or other data that should be used for execution. The first file in this array is considered the main file.
 - `files[].name` (**required**) The name of the file to upload, must be a string containing no path.
 - `files[].content` (**required**) The content of the files to upload, must be a string containing text to write.
-- `stdin` (**required**) The text to pass as stdin to the program. Must be a string, can be left blank.
-- `args` (**required**) The arguments to pass to the program. Must be an array.
-- `compile_timeout` (**required**) The maximum time allowed for the compile stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number.
-- `run_timeout` (**required**) The maximum time allowed for the run stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number.
+- `stdin` (**optional**) The text to pass as stdin to the program. Must be a string, can be left blank.
+- `args` (**optional**) The arguments to pass to the program. Must be an array.
+- `compile_timeout` (**optional**) The maximum time allowed for the compile stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number.
+- `run_timeout` (**optional**) The maximum time allowed for the run stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number.
 
 ```json
 {