diff --git a/.custom-gcl.yaml b/.custom-gcl.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..32f38f2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.custom-gcl.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+version: v2.5.0
+name: golangci-lint-kube-api-linter
+destination: ./bin
+plugins:
+  - module: 'sigs.k8s.io/kube-api-linter'
+    version: 'v0.0.0-20251103104136-5fca1e8b5e9f'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/checks.yaml b/.github/workflows/checks.yaml
index 5012e418..d22acc5d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checks.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checks.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v9
         with:
           version: latest
+      - name: Run kube-api-linter
+        run: make run-kubeapilinter
       - name: Delete pre-installed shellcheck
         run: sudo rm -f $(which shellcheck)
       - name: Run shellcheck
diff --git a/.golangci-kal.yaml b/.golangci-kal.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07d734bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.golangci-kal.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+version: "2"
+linters:
+  default: none
+  enable:
+    - kubeapilinter # linter for Kube API conventions
+  settings:
+    custom:
+      kubeapilinter:
+        type: module
+        description: KAL is the Kube-API-Linter and lints Kubernetes APIs based on API conventions and best practices.
+        settings:
+          linters: {}
+          lintersConfig:
+            conditions:
+              useProtobuf: Forbid
+            optionalfields:
+              pointers:
+                preference: WhenRequired
+
+  exclusions:
+    generated: strict
+    paths:
+      - ".*_test.go"
+      - "zz_generated.*.go"
+    rules:
+      - path-except: "^api/"
+        linters:
+          - kubeapilinter
+issues:
+  max-same-issues: 0
+  max-issues-per-linter: 0
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1ad56fe2..9f986c6b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,6 +53,15 @@ fmt: FORCE install-gofumpt
 	@printf "\e[1;36m>> gofumpt -l -w .\e[0m\n"
 	@gofumpt -l -w $(shell git ls-files '*.go' | grep -v '^internal/provider/openconfig')
 
+bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter:
+	@printf "\e[1;36m>> Installing golangci-lint-kube-api-linter...\e[0m\n"
+	@golangci-lint custom
+
+run-kubeapilinter: FORCE bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter
+	@printf "\e[1;36m>> bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter run --config=.golangci-kal.yaml\e[0m\n"
+	@bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter config verify --config=.golangci-kal.yaml
+	@bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter run --config=.golangci-kal.yaml
+
 # Run the e2e tests against a k8s cluster.
 test-e2e: FORCE
 	@command -v kind >/dev/null 2>&1 || { \
diff --git a/Makefile.maker.yaml b/Makefile.maker.yaml
index 45f3ab90..421f0abb 100644
--- a/Makefile.maker.yaml
+++ b/Makefile.maker.yaml
@@ -80,6 +80,15 @@ verbatim: |
     @printf "\e[1;36m>> gofumpt -l -w .\e[0m\n"
     @gofumpt -l -w $(shell git ls-files '*.go' | grep -v '^internal/provider/openconfig')
 
+  bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter:
+    @printf "\e[1;36m>> Installing golangci-lint-kube-api-linter...\e[0m\n"
+    @golangci-lint custom
+
+  run-kubeapilinter: FORCE bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter
+    @printf "\e[1;36m>> bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter run --config=.golangci-kal.yaml\e[0m\n"
+    @bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter config verify --config=.golangci-kal.yaml
+    @bin/golangci-lint-kube-api-linter run --config=.golangci-kal.yaml
+
   # Run the e2e tests against a k8s cluster.
   test-e2e: FORCE
     @command -v kind >/dev/null 2>&1 || { \