diff --git a/api/config/v2alpha2/opaconfig_types.go b/api/config/v2alpha2/opaconfig_types.go
index 1b89510f..324eb81d 100644
--- a/api/config/v2alpha2/opaconfig_types.go
+++ b/api/config/v2alpha2/opaconfig_types.go
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ func (c *OPAConfigSpec) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	var decoded OPAConfigSpec
+	// Use a local alias to avoid infinite recursion: json.Unmarshal on the
+	// alias type uses the default struct decoder, bypassing this method.
+	type alias OPAConfigSpec
+	var decoded alias
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &decoded); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}