diff --git a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main.go b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main.go
index 767c8f2..e87918e 100644
--- a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main.go
+++ b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main.go
@@ -60,11 +60,18 @@ var (
 			LicenseURL:    "",
 		},
 	}
+	permissionsOption            = commonv1.E_Permissions
+	restHTTPOption               = googleann.E_Http
+	requiresAuthenticationOption = commonv1.E_RequiresAuthentication
+
 	extensionRegistry = map[string]*protoimpl.ExtensionInfo{
-		"qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions": commonv1.E_Permissions,
-		"google.api.http":                    googleann.E_Http,
+		string(permissionsOption.TypeDescriptor().Descriptor().FullName()): permissionsOption,
+		string(restHTTPOption.TypeDescriptor().Descriptor().FullName()):    restHTTPOption,
+	}
+	requiredMethodOptionExtensions = []string{
+		string(permissionsOption.TypeDescriptor().Descriptor().FullName()),
+		string(restHTTPOption.TypeDescriptor().Descriptor().FullName()),
 	}
-	requiredMethodOptionExtensions = []string{"qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions", "google.api.http"}
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -92,6 +99,16 @@ func checkMethodOptions(ctx context.Context, responseWriter check.ResponseWriter
 			return nil
 		}
 		if !proto.HasExtension(options, extension) {
+			// special case for "qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions": in case
+			// there is "qdrant.cloud.common.v1.requires_authentication" set to
+			// false, setting permissions isn't needed.
+			if extensionKey == "qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions" && proto.HasExtension(options, requiresAuthenticationOption) {
+				val := proto.GetExtension(options, requiresAuthenticationOption).(bool)
+				if !val {
+					// requires_authentication is false, we skip it.
+					break
+				}
+			}
 			responseWriter.AddAnnotation(
 				check.WithMessagef("Method %q does not define the %q option", methodDescriptor.FullName(), extension.TypeDescriptor().FullName()),
 				check.WithDescriptor(methodDescriptor),
diff --git a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main_test.go b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main_test.go
index c4c900d..c0b45e8 100644
--- a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/main_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,28 @@ func TestSimpleFailure(t *testing.T) {
 					EndColumn:   5,
 				},
 			},
+			{
+				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
+				Message: "Method \"simple.GreeterService.ClosedGoodbye\" does not define the \"google.api.http\" option",
+				FileLocation: &checktest.ExpectedFileLocation{
+					FileName:    "simple.proto",
+					StartLine:   14,
+					StartColumn: 4,
+					EndLine:     18,
+					EndColumn:   5,
+				},
+			},
+			{
+				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
+				Message: "Method \"simple.GreeterService.ClosedGoodbye\" does not define the \"qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions\" option",
+				FileLocation: &checktest.ExpectedFileLocation{
+					FileName:    "simple.proto",
+					StartLine:   14,
+					StartColumn: 4,
+					EndLine:     18,
+					EndColumn:   5,
+				},
+			},
 		},
 	}.Run(t)
 }
@@ -81,6 +103,10 @@ func TestSimpleFailureWithOption(t *testing.T) {
 				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
 				Message: "extension key \"unknown.extension\" does not exist",
 			},
+			{
+				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
+				Message: "extension key \"unknown.extension\" does not exist",
+			},
 			{
 				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
 				Message: "Method \"simple.GreeterService.HelloWorld\" does not define the \"qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions\" option",
@@ -92,6 +118,17 @@ func TestSimpleFailureWithOption(t *testing.T) {
 					EndColumn:   5,
 				},
 			},
+			{
+				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
+				Message: "Method \"simple.GreeterService.ClosedGoodbye\" does not define the \"qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions\" option",
+				FileLocation: &checktest.ExpectedFileLocation{
+					FileName:    "simple.proto",
+					StartLine:   14,
+					StartColumn: 4,
+					EndLine:     18,
+					EndColumn:   5,
+				},
+			},
 		},
 	}.Run(t)
 
@@ -115,6 +152,10 @@ func TestSimpleFailureWithOptionWrongKey(t *testing.T) {
 				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
 				Message: "extension key \"unknown.extension\" does not exist",
 			},
+			{
+				RuleID:  methodOptionsRuleID,
+				Message: "extension key \"unknown.extension\" does not exist",
+			},
 		},
 	}.Run(t)
 
diff --git a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/common.proto b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/common.proto
index ea10e42..995d8c2 100644
--- a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/common.proto
+++ b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/common.proto
@@ -11,3 +11,10 @@ extend google.protobuf.MethodOptions {
     // A list of permissions which ALL need to be met by the current user.
     repeated string permissions = 50001;
 }
+
+// The extension for allowing a method to be be used without authentication.
+// If the extension is missing the system requires authentication and return a 'permission denied' error if missing.
+extend google.protobuf.MethodOptions {
+    // Set to allow a method to be used without authentication.
+    bool requires_authentication = 50003;
+}
diff --git a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_failure/simple.proto b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_failure/simple.proto
index 76239f4..2cee295 100644
--- a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_failure/simple.proto
+++ b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_failure/simple.proto
@@ -11,4 +11,10 @@ service GreeterService {
         // missing qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions
         // missing google.api.http
     }
+
+    rpc ClosedGoodbye(google.protobuf.Empty) returns (google.protobuf.Empty) {
+        option (qdrant.cloud.common.v1.requires_authentication) = true;
+        // missing qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions
+        // missing google.api.http
+    }
 }
diff --git a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_success/simple.proto b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_success/simple.proto
index 84d8468..bb65bda 100644
--- a/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_success/simple.proto
+++ b/cmd/buf-plugin-method-options/testdata/simple_success/simple.proto
@@ -13,4 +13,11 @@ service GreeterService {
         option (qdrant.cloud.common.v1.permissions) = "read:api_keys";
         option (google.api.http) = {get: "/api/hello-world"};
     }
+
+    rpc OpenGoodbye(google.protobuf.Empty) returns (google.protobuf.Empty) {
+        // there aren't permissions required because it doesn't require
+        // authentication.
+        option (qdrant.cloud.common.v1.requires_authentication) = false;
+        option (google.api.http) = {get: "/api/hello-world"};
+    }
 }