diff --git a/.github/workflows/crd-validation.yml b/.github/workflows/crd-validation.yml
index f43e4b7d8..b674bde65 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/crd-validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/crd-validation.yml
@@ -2,14 +2,28 @@ name: CRD Validation
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    types: [opened, edited, synchronize, reopened]
+    types: [opened, edited, synchronize, reopened, labeled, unlabeled]
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
+  pull-requests: write
 
 jobs:
+  ack-breaking-changes:
+    name: Ack Breaking Changes Labeler
+    if: github.event.issue.pull_request && contains(github.event.comment.body, '/ack-breaking-changes')
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Add Label
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh pr edit ${{ github.event.issue.number }} --add-label "ack-breaking-changes"
+          echo "✅ Added 'ack-breaking-changes' label based on comment."
+
   crd-validation:
     name: CRD Validation Check
+    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
@@ -28,7 +42,17 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           go install sigs.k8s.io/crdify@latest
 
+      - name: Reset Validation Approval
+        if: github.event.action == 'synchronize' && contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'ack-breaking-changes')
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh pr edit ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --remove-label "ack-breaking-changes"
+          echo "⚠️ Removed 'ack-breaking-changes' label due to new changes. Re-approval required."
+
       - name: Run CRD Validation Check
+        env:
+          ALLOW_BREAKING: ${{ contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'ack-breaking-changes') && github.event.action != 'synchronize' }}
         run: |
           git fetch origin ${{ github.base_ref }}:upstream_base
           BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse upstream_base)
@@ -37,15 +61,21 @@ jobs:
           for crd in config/crd/bases/*.yaml; do
             if ! crdify "git://${BASE_SHA}?path=$crd" "git://HEAD?path=$crd"; then
               echo "❌ Incompatible change detected in $crd"
-              ((FAILED++))
+              FAILED=$((FAILED + 1))
             else
               echo "✅ $crd is valid"
             fi
           done
 
           if [ "$FAILED" -gt 0 ]; then
-            echo "::error::Validation failed! Found $FAILED incompatible CRD change(s)."
-            exit 1
+            if [[ "$ALLOW_BREAKING" == "true" ]]; then
+               echo "⚠️ Validation failed with $FAILED incompatible change(s), but allowed via 'ack-breaking-changes' label."
+               exit 0
+            else
+               echo "❌ error: Validation failed! Found $FAILED incompatible CRD change(s)."
+               echo "⚠️ notice: To allow these changes, a reviewer must add the 'ack-breaking-changes' label to the PR."
+               exit 1
+            fi
           fi
 
-          echo "All CRDs are compatible."
+          echo "All CRDs are compatible."
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewrite_types.go b/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewrite_types.go
index ef68d8366..a7a4f532c 100644
--- a/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewrite_types.go
+++ b/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewrite_types.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ type InferenceModelRewriteRule struct {
 	// +optional
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinItems=1
 	//
-	Targets []TargetModel `json:"split,omitempty"`
+	Targets []TargetModel `json:"targets,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // TargetModel defines a weighted model destination for traffic distribution.
diff --git a/client-go/applyconfiguration/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewriterule.go b/client-go/applyconfiguration/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewriterule.go
index 7e03c192d..80a69a83e 100644
--- a/client-go/applyconfiguration/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewriterule.go
+++ b/client-go/applyconfiguration/apix/v1alpha2/inferencemodelrewriterule.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ package v1alpha2
 // with apply.
 type InferenceModelRewriteRuleApplyConfiguration struct {
 	Matches []MatchApplyConfiguration       `json:"matches,omitempty"`
-	Targets []TargetModelApplyConfiguration `json:"split,omitempty"`
+	Targets []TargetModelApplyConfiguration `json:"targets,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // InferenceModelRewriteRuleApplyConfiguration constructs a declarative configuration of the InferenceModelRewriteRule type for use with
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/inference.networking.x-k8s.io_inferencemodelrewrites.yaml b/config/crd/bases/inference.networking.x-k8s.io_inferencemodelrewrites.yaml
index bb9b3e6cf..2146d4388 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/inference.networking.x-k8s.io_inferencemodelrewrites.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/inference.networking.x-k8s.io_inferencemodelrewrites.yaml
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ spec:
                         - model
                         type: object
                       type: array
-                    split:
+                    targets:
                       items:
                         description: TargetModel defines a weighted model destination
                           for traffic distribution.