diff --git a/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/annotations/SegmentParameter.java b/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/annotations/SegmentParameter.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9db891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/annotations/SegmentParameter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package net.researchgate.restdsl.annotations;
+
+import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.Parameter;
+import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.enums.ParameterIn;
+import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.media.Schema;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+@Target({ElementType.PARAMETER, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.FIELD})
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Parameter(
+        name = "segment",
+        in = ParameterIn.PATH,
+        schema = @Schema(type = "string", example = "-"),
+        description = "A rest-dsl query, See https://github.com/researchgate/restler#get",
+        required = false
+)
+public @interface SegmentParameter {
+    String name() default "segment";
+    String description() default "A rest-dsl query, See https://github.com/researchgate/restler#get";
+    ParameterIn in() default ParameterIn.PATH;
+    boolean required() default false;
+}
diff --git a/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/resources/BaseServiceResource.java b/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/resources/BaseServiceResource.java
index bd5d7b5..36522fc 100644
--- a/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/resources/BaseServiceResource.java
+++ b/restler-core/src/main/java/net/researchgate/restdsl/resources/BaseServiceResource.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.Parameter;
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.enums.ParameterIn;
 import io.swagger.v3.oas.annotations.media.Schema;
+import net.researchgate.restdsl.annotations.SegmentParameter;
 import net.researchgate.restdsl.domain.EntityInfo;
 import net.researchgate.restdsl.exceptions.RestDslException;
 import net.researchgate.restdsl.model.BaseServiceModel;
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ public BaseServiceResource(BaseServiceModel<V, K> serviceModel) throws RestDslEx
     }
 
     @Operation(summary = "Retrieve entities using the generic researchgate 'restler' query-language: https://github.com/researchgate/restler#get")
-    @Parameter(name = "segment", in = ParameterIn.PATH, schema = @Schema(type = "string", example = "-"), description = "A rest-dsl query, See https://github.com/researchgate/restler#get")
+    @SegmentParameter
     @Parameter(name = "fields", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, description = "Only return this list of comma-separated fields. Use '*' to return all", example = "*")
     @Parameter(name = "limit", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, schema = @Schema(type = "integer", format = "int32"), description = "Limit the number of returned records")
     @Parameter(name = "offset", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, schema = @Schema(type = "integer", format = "int32"), description = "Skip this many records. Use this together with limit to implement pagination.")
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ public EntityResult<V> getEntityResult(@PathParam("segment") PathSegment segment
     }
 
     @Operation(summary = "Returns a human readable description of the generated database operations. This is intended for client to develop and debug rest-dsl queries")
-    @Parameter(name = "segment", in = ParameterIn.PATH, schema = @Schema(type = "string", example = "-"), description = "A rest-dsl query, See https://github.com/researchgate/restler#get")
+    @SegmentParameter
     @Parameter(name = "fields", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, description = "Only return this list of comma-separated fields. Use '*' to return all", example = "*")
     @Parameter(name = "limit", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, schema = @Schema(type = "integer", format = "int32"), description = "Limit the number of returned records")
     @Parameter(name = "offset", in = ParameterIn.QUERY, schema = @Schema(type = "integer", format = "int32"), description = "Skip this many records. Use this together with limit to implement pagination.")