diff --git a/tools/hardware.yml b/tools/hardware.yml
index 55569a812..7aeeb40ac 100644
--- a/tools/hardware.yml
+++ b/tools/hardware.yml
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ devices:
         index: 2
         kernel: GIC_V2_VCPUCTRL_PPTR
         macro: CONFIG_ARM_HYPERVISOR_SUPPORT
-        user: false # never expose to userspace, even if macro is false.
-        # other regions (i.e. GICH)
-      - user: true
     interrupts:
       INTERRUPT_VGIC_MAINTENANCE: 0
   # ARM GICv3
diff --git a/tools/hardware_schema.yml b/tools/hardware_schema.yml
index 66900cf9f..df388a5a8 100644
--- a/tools/hardware_schema.yml
+++ b/tools/hardware_schema.yml
@@ -72,15 +72,12 @@ definitions:
         $ref: '#/definitions/macro'
       user:
         description: >
-          Whether or not to make a device untyped for userspace.
-          If true, will always expose this device to userspace.
-          If there is a macro and the macro is undefined, and user is not present,
-          the device will be made.
-          If false, the device will never be made.
+          Whether or not to make a device untyped for userspace for this region.
+          If true, will always expose this region to userspace.
+          If false, region will only be exposed if kernel is not using it.
+        default: false
         type: boolean
-    dependencies:
-      kernel: [executeNever, index]
-      executeNever: [kernel]
+    required: [index, kernel, executeNever]
   interrupt:
     oneOf:
       - type: object