diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
index 3df162f8bb5c4..36a87436aa4d3 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/lib/graphqlapi.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ import { Construct, Duration, IResolvable } from "@aws-cdk/core";
 import { readFileSync } from "fs";
 import { CfnApiKey, CfnDataSource, CfnGraphQLApi, CfnGraphQLSchema, CfnResolver } from "./appsync.generated";
 
+/**
+ * Marker interface for the different authorization modes.
+ */
+export interface AuthMode { }
+
 /**
  * enum with all possible values for Cognito user-pool default actions
  */
@@ -23,7 +28,7 @@ export enum UserPoolDefaultAction {
 /**
  * Configuration for Cognito user-pools in AppSync
  */
-export interface UserPoolConfig {
+export interface UserPoolConfig extends AuthMode {
 
     /**
      * The Cognito user pool to use as identity source
@@ -50,7 +55,7 @@ function isUserPoolConfig(obj: unknown): obj is UserPoolConfig {
 /**
  * Configuration for API Key authorization in AppSync
  */
-export interface ApiKeyConfig {
+export interface ApiKeyConfig extends AuthMode {
     /**
      * Unique description of the API key
      */
@@ -69,11 +74,6 @@ function isApiKeyConfig(obj: unknown): obj is ApiKeyConfig {
     return (obj as ApiKeyConfig).apiKeyDesc !== undefined;
 }
 
-/**
- * Marker interface for the different authorization modes.
- */
-type AuthMode = UserPoolConfig | ApiKeyConfig;
-
 /**
  * Configuration of the API authorization modes.
  */
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
index feea1c3efc0d9..40bca04d8c6b6 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-appsync/package.json
@@ -103,5 +103,12 @@
   "engines": {
     "node": ">= 10.3.0"
   },
+  "awslint": {
+    "exclude": [
+      "no-unused-type:@aws-cdk/aws-appsync.ApiKeyConfig",
+      "no-unused-type:@aws-cdk/aws-appsync.UserPoolConfig",
+      "no-unused-type:@aws-cdk/aws-appsync.UserPoolDefaultAction"
+    ]
+  },
   "stability": "experimental"
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}