diff --git a/1-CONTRIBUTION-GUIDE/best-practices.md b/1-CONTRIBUTION-GUIDE/best-practices.md
index a08047a4428b..73aebe4c3cce 100644
--- a/1-CONTRIBUTION-GUIDE/best-practices.md
+++ b/1-CONTRIBUTION-GUIDE/best-practices.md
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ The common properties should be authored consistently to provide for understanda
 
 ### Empty and Null Properties
 
-All empty or null properties that are not required must be excluded from the template samples.  This includes empty objects {}, arrays [], strings "", and any property that has a null value.
+All empty or null properties that are not required must be excluded from the template samples.  This includes empty objects {}, arrays [], strings "", and any property that has a null value.  The execptions to this rule are the top-level template properties: parameters, variables, functions, resources and outputs.
 
 ### dependsOn