diff --git a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dos/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse.java b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dos/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse.java
index 6400a27433..d4c12e5e62 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dos/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dos/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse.java
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 
+@JsonIgnoreProperties({"marksAwarded"})
 @DTOMapping(LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO.class)
 public class LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse extends QuestionValidationResponse {
     private List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntry> markBreakdown;
-    private Integer marksAwarded;
 
     public LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse() {
     }
@@ -30,7 +30,4 @@ public List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntry> getMarkBreakdown() {
     public void setMarkBreakdown(List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntry> markBreakdown) {
         this.markBreakdown = markBreakdown;
     }
-
-    public Integer getMarksAwarded() { return marksAwarded; }
-    public void setMarksAwarded(Integer marksAwarded) { this.marksAwarded = marksAwarded; }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dto/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO.java b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dto/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO.java
index 9f801856c3..8bff08a821 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dto/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/dto/LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO.java
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+@JsonIgnoreProperties({"marksAwarded"})
 public class LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO extends QuestionValidationResponseDTO {
     private List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntryDTO> markBreakdown;
-    private Integer marksAwarded;
 
     public LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponseDTO() {
     }
@@ -18,7 +18,4 @@ public List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntryDTO> getMarkBreakdown() {
     public void setMarkBreakdown(List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntryDTO> markBreakdown) {
         this.markBreakdown = markBreakdown;
     }
-
-    public Integer getMarksAwarded() { return marksAwarded; }
-    public void setMarksAwarded(Integer marksAwarded) { this.marksAwarded = marksAwarded; }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidator.java b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidator.java
index 46be221dad..8a0a1c66cc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidator.java
@@ -293,10 +293,7 @@ private LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse generateQuestionValidationResponse
 
         LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse validationResponse = new LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse(
                 question.getId(), answer, isConsideredCorrect, null, new Date());
-        // TODO: Remove marksAwarded field once database migration has occurred to remove it from question_attempts JSON
-        // (both fields are currently required for backwards compatibility)
         validationResponse.setMarks(markTotal);
-        validationResponse.setMarksAwarded(markTotal);
         validationResponse.setMarkBreakdown(markBreakdown);
         return validationResponse;
     }
diff --git a/src/main/resources/db_scripts/migrations/2026-02-remove-marksawarded-validation-field.sql b/src/main/resources/db_scripts/migrations/2026-02-remove-marksawarded-validation-field.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7226d1ae9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/resources/db_scripts/migrations/2026-02-remove-marksawarded-validation-field.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+UPDATE question_attempts
+SET question_attempt =
+    jsonb_set(
+        question_attempt - 'marksAwarded',
+        '{marks}',
+        question_attempt->'marksAwarded'
+    )
+WHERE question_attempt ? 'marksAwarded';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidatorTest.java b/src/test/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidatorTest.java
index 028da55007..45eb51714e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidatorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/uk/ac/cam/cl/dtg/isaac/quiz/IsaacLLMFreeTextValidatorTest.java
@@ -247,17 +247,17 @@ public static LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse validate(Question question,
          * @param response      - response from the validator, the object we examine by performing assertions.
          * @param isCorrect     - whether the response should be marked as correct or incorrect. Use provided constants
          *                        CORRECT, INCORRECT.
-         * @param marksAwarded  - how many marks should be awarded in total for the question. This is calculated from
+         * @param marks         - how many marks should be awarded in total for the question. This is calculated from
          *                        the breakdown specified during the act part. Use provided constants NO_MARKS,
          *                        ONE_MARK, TWO_MARKS.
          * @param expectedMarks - double check that the breakdown is returned in the expected format
          */
         public static void expectMark(LLMFreeTextQuestionValidationResponse response,
                                       boolean isCorrect,
-                                      int marksAwarded,
+                                      int marks,
                                       List<LLMFreeTextMarkSchemeEntry> expectedMarks) {
             assertEquals(isCorrect, response.isCorrect());
-            assertEquals(marksAwarded, (long) response.getMarks());
+            assertEquals(marks, (long) response.getMarks());
             assertTrue(expectedMarks.containsAll(response.getMarkBreakdown()));
             assertTrue(response.getMarkBreakdown().containsAll(expectedMarks));
         }