diff --git a/rule_schema_v1.yaml b/rule_schema_v1.yaml
index a660858a..66074644 100644
--- a/rule_schema_v1.yaml
+++ b/rule_schema_v1.yaml
@@ -659,15 +659,23 @@ $defs:
             title: Kind keyword
             type: string
           module:
-            title: Kind keyword
+            title: A module name
             type: string
+          modules:
+            title: A list of module names
+            type: array
+            items:
+              type: string
         required:
           - metavariable
         anyOf:
         - required:
             - kind
-        - required:
-            - module
+        - oneOf:
+          - required:
+              - module
+          - required:
+              - modules
         additionalProperties: false
     required:
       - semgrep-internal-metavariable-name
diff --git a/rule_schema_v2.atd b/rule_schema_v2.atd
index 00b1fc24..bfaa1742 100644
--- a/rule_schema_v2.atd
+++ b/rule_schema_v2.atd
@@ -415,6 +415,7 @@ type metavariable_cond = {
   ?kind: string option;
   (* for semgrep-internal-metavariable-name; consider renaming? for v2 *)
   ?module_ <json name="module">: string option;
+  ?modules: string list option;
 
   (* this covers regex:/pattern:, but also all:/any: with optional where:
    * CHECK: language is valid only when combined with a formula