diff --git a/src/core/schemas.py b/src/core/schemas.py
index ede18e8c2..24d8fc7c5 100644
--- a/src/core/schemas.py
+++ b/src/core/schemas.py
@@ -2492,9 +2492,11 @@ def model_dump(self, **kwargs):
 
         # Ensure required AdCP fields are present for responses
         # (These should be set during package creation/processing)
-        if data.get("package_id") is None:
+        # Check the actual object attributes, not the serialized dict,
+        # because exclude_none=True (default) may exclude None values from the dict
+        if self.package_id is None:
             raise ValueError("Package missing required package_id for AdCP response")
-        if data.get("status") is None:
+        if self.status is None:
             raise ValueError("Package missing required status for AdCP response")
 
         return data
diff --git a/src/core/tools/media_buy_create.py b/src/core/tools/media_buy_create.py
index cdcdf36bd..613e06992 100644
--- a/src/core/tools/media_buy_create.py
+++ b/src/core/tools/media_buy_create.py
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ def validate_agent_url(url: str | None) -> bool:
     Principal,
     Product,
     Targeting,
-    TaskStatus,
 )
 from src.core.testing_hooks import TestingContext, apply_testing_hooks, get_testing_context
 from src.core.tool_context import ToolContext
@@ -1867,8 +1866,8 @@ async def _create_media_buy_impl(
                     {
                         "package_id": package_id,
                         "buyer_ref": pkg.buyer_ref,  # Include buyer_ref from request package
-                        # Package status should be null until the package is actually created in the ad server
-                        # After approval + adapter creation, it will be set to "draft" or "active" by the adapter
+                        "status": "draft",  # Set initial status (required by AdCP spec)
+                        # Status will be updated to "active" after approval + adapter creation
                     }
                 )
                 pending_packages.append(Package(**pkg_data))
@@ -2236,7 +2235,7 @@ async def _create_media_buy_impl(
                         "package_id": package_id,
                         "name": f"{pkg.product_id} - Package {idx}",
                         "buyer_ref": pkg.buyer_ref,  # Include buyer_ref from request
-                        "status": TaskStatus.INPUT_REQUIRED,  # Consistent with TaskStatus enum (requires approval)
+                        "status": "draft",  # Package is pending approval (AdCP-compliant status)
                     }
                 )
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_schema_validation_standalone.py b/tests/e2e/test_schema_validation_standalone.py
index 2c895ddbf..4b6e33daf 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_schema_validation_standalone.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_schema_validation_standalone.py
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ async def test_valid_get_products_response():
                     "name": "Test Display Product",
                     "description": "Test description",
                     "publisher_properties": [
-                        {"publisher_domain": "example.com", "property_tags": ["premium_content"]}
+                        {
+                            "publisher_domain": "example.com",
+                            "selection_type": "by_tag",
+                            "property_tags": ["premium_content"],
+                        }
                     ],  # Required: publisher properties covered by this product
                     "format_ids": [
                         {